Eating disorders are most common in teenage girls, though both genders of all ages can be affected. If you are worried, see if you can spot these symptoms in your child.

Eating disorders are most often identified by a drastic change in physical appearance, usually caused by starvation. Unfortunately, this is a very late warning sign. Early warning signs you should watch for are if your teenager is obsessed with their body weight, calorie intake, if they are eating smaller portions of meals than normal, or if they are using diet pills and replacing meals with coffee.

There are certain psychological side effects of eating disorders.  If you have noticed your teenager has been suffering from migraines, lack of concentration, is easily irritable, has trouble sleeping and suffers from dizziness, it may be the direct cause of an eating disorder.  These side effects are commonly found in almost all eating disorders.  Additionally, if your teenager seems depressed, isolated, lonely, and constantly fatigued, these are secondary symptoms you should be aware of.

Finally, there are physical symptoms from lack of nutrition, which causes hormonal imbalances.  Without the proper amount of nutrients, the body will produce lower amounts of estrogen, causing irregular menstruation cycle - sometimes stopping the menstrual period completely. These hormonal imbalances also affect blood pressure, heartbeat, and body temperature.

If you have observed many of these signs in your teenager, it is important to get appropriate treatment. Teenagers with eating disorders are very irrational about the perception of their own body, thinking of themselves as fat even if they are actually underweight. This means logically reasoning with your teenager probably don't do much good. You need to seek professional help, and get the appropriate treatment depending on the eating disorder.

In conclusion, use the advice given in this article to determine the course of action to take with your teenager, depending on whether or not you think they have an eating disorder.

Article by Rachel Goodchild

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