Author: Aurelia Williams
Article:
Unfortunately, today's society puts much emphasis on physical
appearance and teenagers are probably the most susceptible to
the thought that everyone has to be skinny to be pretty and
accepted. We, as parents, know this is not true and it's what's
on the inside that matters most. Regardless of the amount of
time and care we put into getting them to see otherwise, many
teens just don't believe this is true.
As the parent of a teenager there are many negative things that
you need to be aware of and look out for in order to help your
child as quickly as possible, should they get mixed up in these
harmful situations. One of those is eating disorders, such as
anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
If you sense your teen has a problem, but can't put your finger
on what exactly is wrong, here are a few warning signs that you
might have an eating disorder on your hands. The sooner you
respond to these signs the sooner your teen can start the
journey to being healthy again.
Signs your teen may be suffering from Anorexia
Starvation Fear of gaining weight that is severe and persistent
Refusing to eat or extremely restricted eating Continual and
obsessive dieting Excessive body hair due to the lack of protein
Obsessively exercising Weight loss that is out of the ordinary
More than normal sensitivity to cold temperatures Absent or
irregular menstruation in girls Hair loss
Signs your teen may be suffering from Bulimia
Fixation with food Binge eating (you may not see this due to the
secrecy that normally occurs) Frequent trips to the bathroom
immediately after eating Abusing laxatives, diet pills or both
Denying that they are hungry Using medicines to induce vomiting
Obsessive exercising Salivary glands which appear swollen Blood
vessels around the eyes that appear busted or broken
Although the majority of cases reported are females, males
suffer from eating disorders as well. According to the National
Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, nearly
1 million men suffer from an eating disorder. In reality, the
true number is probably higher.
Teens do not see it as a disorder nor do they want to gain the
weight necessary to become healthy if they stop. In most cases,
if your teen has an eating disorder, they will not admit it
willingly. To them, they are never skinny enough. That does not
mean an illness doesn't exist. If you suspect your teen may have
an eating disorder, contact help immediately. It might just save
his/her life.
About the author:
Need more free information on parenting teenagers?
My Teen Podcast discusses this and other teen issues
parents face. You can also pick up the Parenting My Teen Oath
while you're there.
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