Overview of Eating Disorders in Children - Eating Disorders Symptoms in Children

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Behaviors Involving Food

• Skips meals
• Eats only tiny portions of food
• Does not eat in front of others
• Develops ritualistic eating patterns
• Chews food and spits it out
• Cooks meals for others but will not eat
• Makes excuses not to eat (not hungry, just ate, ill, upset, etc.)
• Becomes a vegetarian
• Reads food labels religiously
• Goes to the bathroom after meals and spends an inordinately long time there
• Begins and ends diets repeatedly
• Large quantities of high-calorie foods are missing, but the child is not gaining weight
• Uses large quantities of laxatives or diuretics (money may even be stolen from family members to purchase these drugs or the large quantities of food needed for a binge).

Physical Changes

• Chipmunk cheeks (swollen salivary glands)
• Bloodshot eyes
• Tooth enamel decay
• Considerable weight changes not attributable to a medical condition
• Intestinal problems
• Dry, brittle hair, or hair loss
• Bad breath
• Calluses on knuckles
• Nose bleeds
• Constant sore throats
• Irregular or absent menstrual cycles

Body Image Concerns

• Constantly tries to lose weight
• Fears weight gain and obesity
• Wears over-sized clothing
• Obsesses about clothing size
• Complains of being fat when he or she is clearly not
• Criticizes body and/or body parts

Exercise Behaviors

• Exercises obsessively and compulsively
• Tires easily
• Consumes sports drinks and supplements

Thinking Patterns

• Lacks logical thinking
• Cannot evaluate reality objectively
• Becomes irrational
• Becomes argumentative
• Withdraws, sulks, throws tantrums
• Has difficulty concentrating

Emotional Changes

• Difficulty discussing feelings, especially anger
• Denies being angry, even when he or she clearly is
• Escapes stress by bingeing or exercising
• Becomes moody, irritable, cross, snappish, touchy
• Confrontations end in tears, tantrums, or withdrawal

Social Behaviors

• Socially isolates
• Demonstrates a high need to please others
• Tries to control what other family members eat
• Becomes needy and dependent