Disordered eating cont.
Many things can cause disordered eating in young people, for example when things don’t feel right in other parts of their life. This can be especially true if they are feeling stressed, out of control, or are experiencing other types of poor mental health. Many young people with disordered eating are diagnosed with an eating disorder and receive care from CAMHS. It is common for eating disorders to develop during adolescence, particularly between the ages of 13 and 17, but it is not unusual for people to develop eating disorders earlier or later in life (200). Untreated eating disorders or those not treated adequately can last for decades. The earlier that eating disorder treatment is sought, the better the young person’s chance of recovery (204).
Associated crises Medical emergency (e.g. fainting), suicide thoughts or behaviour , self-harm , traumatic events
Signs Disordered eating is varied, depending on the type of condition and the person. What all conditions have in common is food control and a preoccupation with eating habits. Physical effects include drastic weight loss, drastic weight gain, signs of a medical emergency that require immediate attention, psychotic signs due to malnourishment, disorientation (such as not knowing what day it is, where they are, or who they are), throwing up several times a day, fainting spells, collapsing, being too weak to walk, painful muscle spasms, chest pain, difficulty breathing, an irregular heartbeat, a very low heart rate, and cold or clammy skin indicating a low body temperature. Another potential sign is blood in the young person’s bowel movements, urine, or vomit.
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