Eating disorders are common and affect the lives of children, teens, young adults, and their families.
Effective treatment can be life-changing and, in some instances, lifesaving. Research shows that early access to high-quality, comprehensive care is the best predictor of recovery.
Rise Above Treatment Center for Pediatric Eating Disorders provides outstanding medical care for children, teens and young adults with eating disorders, as well as their families. We provide a range of services for children and teens with eating disorders, including medical evaluation and ongoing medical support services. We provide practical and comprehensive care that is tailored to your family’s needs. Our main priority is to get to know your family and create a medical plan that will work for your distinct situation and needs. We are here to care for you and your loved ones, teach your families, and work together to treat your child’s eating disorder.
We have based our program on review of rigorous academic medical research of how to successfully treat young people with the following eating disorders:
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Patients with this condition may avoid eating altogether or eat tiny amounts of food (restrict). They may also use exercise or laxatives to try to lose weight.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Patients who have ARFID may limit the amount of food they eat or the kinds of food they eat. Their behavior isn’t typically about body image or weight. Instead, food-avoidant behavior relates to eating habits, such as a history of “picky” eating or negative feelings about food textures.
BULIMIA NERVOSA
Patients with this condition may eat a lot of food at once. After eating, they purge to eliminate the food they’ve consumed.
BINGE-EATING DISORDERS OR COMPULSIVE OVEREATING
Patients who have binge eating disorder may eat a lot of food in a short amount of time. They eat when they’re not hungry and often gain weight.
Other Eating disorders
Some of the other eating disorders treated include: atypical anorexia nervosa, night eating syndrome, unspecified eating disorder, and purging disorder.
TREATMENT
There is help if your child/teen shows signs of an eating disorder. Depending on their specific needs, your child/teen may benefit from evidence-based outpatient treatments such as:
FAMILY-BASED TREATMENT
Family-based treatment (FBT) is the most common treatment for eating disorders in teens/children and is considered the gold standard. A provider guides parents in supporting their teen while setting guidelines about eating. Providers use a phased approach to:
Help parents or guardians take control of their teen’s eating
Allow teens to make independent choices about eating after they’ve demonstrated compliance with eating guidelines and are eating in a healthy way
Address anxiety, depression or family communication issues a teen may have
Eating disorders develop for different reasons. While you can’t stop your child from developing these conditions, there are some “protective factors” you can influence such as:
Be a body image role model: If you’ve struggled with your own body image, work on self-acceptance. Encourage positive body talk in your home.
Set a healthy example around food and exercise: Try not to talk about feeling bad or guilty when you eat certain foods. And don’t beat yourself up for missing a day’s workout.
Talk to your teen about what they’re feeling: If your teen makes negative comments about their body, talk with them about what they’re saying. Use what you know about your child to respond. For example, remind an athlete who complains about their “big thighs” that their powerful legs help them score goals for their team.
