Teen girls are at risk of developing eating disorders due to the pressure society and media places on them to have an ideal body.Eight times as many females as males develop eating disorders, the majority of which afflict teens.It's important for anyone with influence on teen girls to be aware of the health risks of bulimia, binging, and anorexia and be able to identify them.
Step 1: There will be dramatic weight changes.
Weight loss is common with eating disorders.A drop below a healthy weight is possible.People with a binge-eating disorder will gain weight quickly.There isn't a problem with the absence of dramatic weight change.Eating disorders are not developed overnight.Any responsible adult should look for a problem before a teen is overweight.It can be hard to spot a problem when you know the teen well and see her frequently.Not every weight change is associated with an eating disorder.Teenagers may lose or gain weight as they grow.If you notice a dramatic loss of weight in conjunction with other symptoms, you should confront the teen girl.A teenage girl may have an eating disorder if she is more than 15% outside her normal weight.
Step 2: It's a good idea to keep an eye out for physical decline.
Eating disorders can affect the entire body.There are different physical symptoms for each eating disorder.People who lose a lot of weight may have other physical symptoms, such as a dry skin, an increase in body hair, and being cold to the touch.
Step 3: You should look for evidence of purging.
Teenage girls with bulimic tendencies will vomit food from their stomachs.If you notice the smell of vomit in the bathroom after your daughter has been there, she may be suffering from an eating disorder.She could excuse the vomiting as an illness, such as stomach flu, if detected.She is being honest if she is sneezing, coughing, and/or has a temperature. Flu isn't always accompanied by vomiting.She may have an eating disorder if there is no reason for her to vomit.A teen girl who purges might take multiple showers each day in order to wash the vomit down the drain.
Step 4: Laxatives or diet pills are things to watch out for.
Diet pills block the body's absorption of fat or curb the appetite.Both can be employed by individuals with eating disorders in order to restrict the absorption of calories and keep food out of their body.
Step 5: Look for eating habits that are extreme.
A teen girl with an eating disorder may binge on a large amount of food at one time, but at other times refuse to eat.She can eat very little or only eat certain types of food.Fasting or skipping meals can be signs of an eating disorder.A girl who binges may snack throughout the day and consume up to 15,000 calories in one sitting.If there is a lot of food missing from the fridge, the teen may be eating too much.
Step 6: Changes in eating habits can be sudden.
Eating habits can change quickly or slowly.A girl who suddenly refuses to eat anything other than a diet may have an eating disorder.A girl who only drinks soda may be a binge eater.She may have an eating disorder if you notice that she no longer eats her favorite junk food.
Step 7: Look for an increased activity regimen.
There is a desire to reach an ideal body type through intense exercise.She may have increased her workout routine from an hour to three or four hours a day.If you notice that the teenage girl's exercise habits are getting out of hand and interfering with her social or academic life, consider talking to her.
Step 8: There are obsessive behaviors associated with food.
She may refuse to eat certain ingredients, measure portions exactly, or count calories in her food and drinks.An eating disorder can be caused by an excessive preoccupation with food.She might have an obsessive food disorder if she takes up reading diet books, watching cooking shows, or reading online.Since these behaviors are not indicative of an eating disorder, you should only consider them signs of one if she also displays other warning signs.
Step 9: She should talk to a doctor or a counselor.
If a teen does or does not have an eating disorder, general practitioners can give a definite diagnosis.Monitoring the teen's weight over a long period and examining internal features like the condition of the throat, which may be swollen or irritated due to repeated contact with stomach acid following regurgitation, are clues doctors can use to determine if your teen is dealing with an eating disorder.The first thing you should do after detecting your teenage girl's eating disorder is get a medical evaluation.In order to gauge the best course of treatment, a clinical physician as well as a psychiatrist should be consulted.Doctors specializing in eating disorders can help chart her recovery.Family counseling may be necessary in some cases.This allows the teenage girl to receive the active support of her family and gives the counselor a more objective picture of the girl's progress in fighting the eating disorder.
Step 10: If you should speak to her parents, what should you do?
If you are a teacher, coach, or other adult authority figure who is not the girl's parent, you should bring your concerns to her parents, either directly or in addition to talking with her.They will be able to help her on her way to recovery.When confronting a girl about her eating disorder, the most important thing is how you express your concerns.The conversation should be held in a place where the girl feels safe.It's best to have a family member confront the girl about her eating disorder.If the teenage girl in question is eating or in a tired state, don't talk about the issue.When confronting the girl about her eating disorder habits, be sensitive to the shame or embarrassment she may be experiencing, and always be gentle and understanding.You should not blame her for her eating disorder, but you should ask her about her feelings.
Step 11: Ask if she is having a hard time with her menstruation.
It's a good idea to know if she has an eating disorder by looking at her periods.Two or more skipped periods in girls, along with a loss of weight, is a good sign that she has an eating disorder.Weight gain and missed periods could be indicators of a pregnant woman.When coming from mom or another sympathetic female family member, this question might sound more sensitive.
Step 12: Listen for excuses as to why she's not eating or changing her diet.
If the teenage girl uses convoluted or conflicting reasons as to why she's eating a certain way, she might be covering the fact that she has a disorder.She might say that she ate a big snack before her meal and doesn't need to eat dinner or she will be eating later at a friend's house.
Step 13: Body image issues are worth paying attention to.
It's possible that a teen girl is also struggling with an eating disorder because she is constantly obsessed with her weight.Buying clothes in too-small sizes is one of the body image signs.She can check the mirror for body flaws.She may visit "pro-ana" forums or pages on online social media.
Step 14: Listen for expressions of revulsion about her weight and eating habits.
She may say that she doesn't like eating.She may complain that she is fat.She may express disgust, guilt, or shame about how much she eats.
Step 15: You should note mood changes.
The girl may suffer from extreme mood swings.Moodiness is normal for a teenage girl, but if she is asked to deviate from her eating routine, it may be a sign that she has an eating disorder.
Step 16: There are signs of anxiety at meal times.
Girls with anxiety may be affected by food.She may be showing signs of stress or uneasiness.She may be uncomfortable around the act of eating and may refuse to eat with family or friends.It is possible that anxiety is related to food.She might become very angry or withdrawn from a discussion about food, eating or weight gain/loss.