Minivan Musings: How to spot the signs of eating disorders in children

North Jersey – Jackie Goldschneider

One night last year, when my 9-year-old son refused dinner, I chalked it up to a bellyache. But later that evening when he confessed a classmate had called him “fat,” my alarm bells went off. After talking him through the hurtful incident, he was back to himself by breakfast. But as someone who has battled eating issues throughout life, I know they can be a slippery slope. Between images of perfect bodies on social media and trendy new workouts, young people are increasingly bombarded with higher standards of health and beauty, and can fall victim to dangerous dieting patterns. So how can parents spot and address the signs of an eating disorder in their child? (more)