Nutrition & counseling is a key component in your child's life in order for them to live a happy and healthy life.
This is a very special group of patients that we treat. The key thing to remember is we treat eating disorders. This is such an important statement. We do not want to cause an eating disorder. We are very careful not to educate children about things that are not age appropriate. Helping them get healthier, learn better habits, and control their portion size is a much safer approach than restricting their diets.
Confidence is the most important thing for children. When parents find that they are fighting with their child over their food intake, it is time to seek professional help. No matter how badly a parent wants to help their child lose weight, it can't work unless the child is ready to make some changes. That is our job.
Our staff is trained to work with children. Most of the children never feel like they went on a diet, however, their weight is dropping and they have someone to talk to. The children look forward to coming back and the parents find it extremely helpful. We also offer groups for children.
It is a place where children feel extremely comfortable and they are able to express and be themselves.
QUESTION
How can you tell if your child suffers from an eating disorder?
ANSWER
A person can develop an eating disorder at any age. Although it may seem more evident and clear that it is an eating disorder at an older age, a child can be suffering from an eating disorder but in a different way.
At a young age, unhealthy food related behaviors can most definitely lead to a much greater issue as your child ages. Therefore, it is key to stop and treat the unhealthy habits while he/she is still young.
You may not realize it, but parent's and families' habits play a huge impact on the child's life. Many children watch and mimic their parents actions. If families spend a lot of their time talking about food and dieting, it will impact the child's mindset.