Essay on Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children - 3655 Words

Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children Eating Disorders in children and adolescents represent potentially life-threatening, debilitating conditions that impede physical, emotional, and behavioral growth and development. If treated soon after onset, childhood and adolescent eating disorders have a relatively good prognosis; however, if not treated, they may become chronic conditions by adulthood with devastating and sometimes irreversible medical, behavioral, and emotional consequences (Robin, Gilroy, and Dennis, 1998, pp421). Feeding problems and eating disturbances in toddlers and early school age children are not particularly rare. They occur in 25%-40% of the population (Kerwin, 1999). However, severe eating disturbances†¦show more content†¦Some physical factors that are affected by poor diets include the following: anatomical abnormalities, sensory perceptual impairment, motor dysfunction, oral motor dysfunction and respiratory cardiac and gastrointestinal problems (Kerwin, 1999). Additionally, eating disturbances may place the child at great risk for aspiration, malnutrition, invasive medical procedures, admission to an inpatient unit for treatment of the problem, and limitations in social emotional and educational functioning and development (Kerwin, 1999). Early treatment of eating disorders is extremely important in caring for the health of children and adolescents. There are many treatments currently available to treat a variety of eating disorders. Some that will be discussed include anti-depressant medication, hospitalization, individual psychotherapy, family therapy, classical and operant conditioning, and cognitive restructuring. The purpose of this paper is to explore different treatments for anorexia and food refusal in children, and determine which treatments are most effective. HOSPITALIZATION Children and Adolescents with Anorexia can be hospitalized in pediatric or psychiatric units equally effectively (Robin et. al., 1998) as long as the impatient care environment is safe, firm, caring, highly structured, and not punitive. The main goal of hospitalization is nutritional stabilization. Inpatient treatments tend to focus more on physical healthShow MoreRelatedSymptoms, Epidemiological Statistics, Diagnosis, As Well As Treatment1596 Words   |  7 PagesABSTRACT Today, clinicians are not only able to diagnose eating disorders in adults, but also in the children, including the infants. Among the eating disorders witnessed in infants is infantile anorexia, which is pervasive in many countries across the globe. Worryingly, research indicates that about 70% of the kids with food refusal habits, as well as inappropriate weight gain during infancy have a tendency of experiencing similar problems later in life (Fitzgerald et al. 2010). The following isRead MoreEssay about eating disorders1286 Words   |  6 Pages Eat to live – don’t live to eat (or not to). This is very hard for a person with an eating disorder to understand since food is their tool for handling the stress and anxiety in their lives. Eating disorders affect millions of Americans each year (Eating Disorders 1). The most common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Overeating. These disorders are serious, and, when taken to extremes, can be life threatening as well. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;All eatingRead MoreAnorexia Case Study Jess Essay1488 Words   |  6 Pagespsychiatric unit. J.M., a 23-year-old woman, was admitted to the psychiatric unit last night after assessment and treatment at a local hospital emergency department (ED) for â€Å"blacking out at school.† She has been given a preliminary diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. As you begin to assess her, you notice that she has very loose clothing, she is wrapped in a blanket, and her extremities are very thin. She tells you, â€Å"I dont know why Im here. Theyre making a big deal about nothing.† She appears toRead MoreEssay about Anorexia1309 Words   |  6 Pagesdisorders and prove the these disease, specifically Anorexia Nervosa, continue to plague of women due to psychological and environmental factors along with pressure from the media. The term â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa† is misleading. It means â€Å"loss of appetite due to nerves.† But people with anorexia don ’t actually lose their appetite until the late stages of their starvation. Until, they do feel hungry, but they just won’t eat. People affected by anorexia have an extreme fear of gaining weight. In additionRead MoreEating Disorders : Anorexia And Bulimia1676 Words   |  7 Pagesthe leading mental illnesses in America are Anorexia and Bulimia. 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Anorexia is characterized by recurrent episodesRead MoreAnorexia And Bulimia Are Highly Deathly Diseases That Affect All Ages And Sexes But Primary Female Teenagers1258 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish III honors 13 April 2015 Anorexia and bulimia are highly deathly diseases that affect all ages and sexes but primary female teenagers. Anorexia and bulimia are diseases of the mind that affects the body, while the media promotes both anorexia and bulimia and presents the sick body results as the ideal body. Many people are unaware of what anorexia is and how the disease affects both the mind and body. Symptoms include; obsession with weight, depleted food intake, personal ideal body imageRead MoreMajor Risk Factors for the Development of Anorexia Nervosa1280 Words   |  6 PagesAnorexia Nervosa is an aggressive eating disorder inflicting people indiscriminately around the globe. It occurs primarily among females with onset generally occurring in early to late adolescence, often resulting in death. Anorexia nervosa is characterised by an individuals refusal to maintain a healthy weight, intense fear of weight gain and a distorted body image. The major risk factors contributing to the development of anorexia are Genetics, Psychological Traits, Cultural and Media Ideals andRead MoreEating Disorders : Anorexia Nervosa1493 Words   |  6 PagesHDFS 408 Hernandez Illness Paper – Anorexia Nervosa February 28, 2016 According to the Mayo Clinic (2016), eating disorders are â€Å"conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions, and your ability to function in important areas of life.† One such eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. Not to be confused with anorexia, which is simply a general loss of appetite that can be attributed to many medical ailments, anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorderRead MoreEating Disorders And Body Image Issues1655 Words   |  7 Pagesailments characterized by intense fear of becoming obese, distorted body image, and prolonged food refusal (anorexia nervosa) and/or binge eating followed by purging through induced vomiting, heavy exercise, or use of laxatives (bulimia nervosa).These ailments are not pretty. In this society, where only the fit and thin bodies are accepted and appreciated, eating disorders are more common than they should be. Children, starting at a young age, see skinny people on televisi on and in magazines. They hear comments