Eating disorders

10 signs your child or teen needs eating disorder support

By Shannon Western

Published 20th August 2024

You play a crucial role in supporting your child’s health and well-being. Eating disorders are challenging to recognise because they involve a combination of physical, emotional, and behavioural changes.

If you’re concerned that your child or teen might be struggling with an eating disorder, this article gives 10 signs to watch for. Identifying these early can make a significant difference in their path to recovery.

Common signs your child is struggling with an eating disorder

I’m a dual-qualified nutritionist and therapist specialising in eating disorders and disordered eating. I'm here to help you understand the common signs your child or teen is struggling.

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1. Dramatic changes in eating patterns

One of the most noticeable signs of an eating disorder is a significant shift in eating behaviours. This may mean your child or teen:

Skips meals or avoids certain foods: Your child may frequently skip meals, refuse to eat specific foods, or make excuses to avoid eating altogether.
Has a preoccupation with dieting or calorie counting: They may obsess over calorie intake, fat content, or portion sizes, and often express a desire to lose weight or control their eating.

2. Changes in body image and higher focus on their body

A preoccupation with body image can signal an underlying eating disorder. This might show up as:

An unusual focus on body image: A preoccupation with body image can signal an underlying eating disorder.
Excessively checking themselves in the mirror or measuring themselves: They might regularly check their appearance, weigh themselves frequently, or measure body parts obsessively.
Negative self-talk: They may frequently criticise their own body, regardless of reassurances from family or friends.

3. Withdrawal from social activities

Isolation is common among those struggling with eating disorders. Disordered eating thrives in secrecy, depletes energy, and raises anxiety; so it makes sense your child or teen would withdraw. This might look like:

Avoiding social gatherings: Your child may avoid events where food is present or make excuses to stay home from social activities.
Less interest in previously enjoyed activities: You might notice a lack of enthusiasm for hobbies or activities they once loved.
Stopping friendships with previously good friends or fall-outs with friends.
They may want to be off from school more often when previously they enjoyed school.
Spending more time online and less with in-real-life friends.

4. Noticeable physical changes

Not all eating disorders will show physical changes, as body change is just one part. You may notice physical changes in your child or teen, including:

Weight fluctuations: Sudden weight loss or gain can be a sign of an eating disorder, although not all eating disorders involve drastic weight changes.
Physical complaints: Frequent complaints of dizziness, fatigue, frequent colds, feeling very cold, or gastrointestinal issues might indicate a problem.
Missing periods: If your child or teen has a menstrual cycle and it stops, this could be due to disordered eating. A condition called hypothalamic amenorrhea is common in eating disorders. It's caused by too little food intake, too much exercise, or too much stress (or a combination of all three).

5. Secretive or compulsive behaviours

Eating disorders often involve secretive or compulsive behaviours, such as:

Secretive eating habits: Your child may hide food or eat in secret, showing discomfort or defensiveness when asked about their eating.
Compulsive exercise: They may engage in excessive or rigid exercise routines, prioritising workouts over other responsibilities.
They may have other rituals or routines to do with food, body, or exercise.

6. Emotional and behavioural shifts

Emotional changes can be linked to eating disorders, this may look like:

Increased irritability or mood swings: Your child might display mood swings, increased irritability, or become more argumentative, especially around mealtimes.
Signs of depression or anxiety: Watch for signs of depression, such as withdrawal, irritability, or extreme worry about food and body image.
Self-harm: You may notice signs of self-harm in your teen, either physical or emotional.

7. Changes in sleep patterns

Eating disorders can disrupt normal sleep for many reasons. Including stress, the body being too hungry to sleep, or due to physical difficulties. You might notice this in your child or teen as:

Insomnia or disrupted sleep: Your child might experience trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
Not falling asleep until very late at night.
Struggling to wake up in the morning; perhaps being late for school.

8. Poor concentration and decline in academic performance

Difficulty concentrating and declining performance can be red flags that they're struggling:

Decline in school performance: A noticeable drop in academic performance or lack of interest in schoolwork can be a sign of an eating disorder impacting their focus and energy levels.
Skipping school or leaving school at lunchtime is common.
Not taking lunch to school and not purchasing any lunch at school will make concentrating during the day harder.

9. Abnormal eating rituals

Unusual eating rituals can indicate an underlying issue. This could look like:

Specific eating rituals: Your child may develop rituals around eating, such as cutting food into small pieces, eating in a specific order, or rearranging food on their plate.
The food they eat has reduced drastically. They may only eat specific foods, or foods served/cooked in a certain way.
A preference for low-fat, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian/vegan, or low-calorie foods.

10. Unwillingness to seek help

Reluctance to address the issue can be a sign of an eating disorder. This might mean your child or teen:

Is resistant to discussing eating habits: If your child is defensive or refuses to talk about their eating habits or body image concerns, it could indicate deeper issues they’re struggling to confront.
Does not accept that they have changed behaviour around food.
Feels very angry when you try to talk about their changes.

When to seek professional help

If you recognise any of these signs in your child or teen, it’s essential to seek professional support. Early intervention can significantly impact the effectiveness of treatment and support your child’s path to recovery.

Nutrition professionals and mental health professionals can help your child or teen navigate their recovery journey.

Together, your child can work towards developing a healthier relationship with food and body image, providing both your child and your family with the tools and support needed for a successful recovery.