Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children Essay -- Eating Disorders Health

Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children "Eating Disorders in children and adolescents represent potentially life-threatening, debilitating conditions that impede physical, emotional, and behavioral growth and development. If treated soon after onset, childhood and adolescent eating disorders have a relatively good prognosis; however, if not treated, they may become chronic conditions by adulthood with devastating and sometimes irreversible medical, behavioral, and emotional consequences (Robin, Gilroy, and Dennis, 1998, pp421)." Feeding problems and eating disturbances in toddlers and early school age children are not particularly rare. They occur in 25%-40% of the population (Kerwin, 1999). However, severe eating disturbances requiring treatment occur in only 3%-10% of young children (Kerwin, 1999). The most common eating disturbance in young children involves some form of food refusal, which some believe may be related to anorexia (Robin et. al., 1998). Very little is known about eating disorders in pre-pubertal children, especially those who are otherwise healthy and have no apparent developmental disabilities (Singer et. al., 1992). According to Singer et. al., "Some authors have conceptualized eating disorders in pre-pubertal children as early manifestations of anorexia nervosa, but these children rarely met DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria" (Singer et. al, 1992, pp 847). Although children often do not meet the technical requirements to be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, they often fall into the category of eating disorders not otherwise specified (Robin et. al., 1998). And, the health risks for these children can be are just as serious as those risks for patients with a clear diagnosis. Children who refuse food ha... ...xperimental Psychiatry 18(2). 149-155. Maloney, M.J., Pettigrew, H., Farrell, M. (1983). Treatment sequence for severe weight loss in anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2(2). 53-58. Robin, A.L., Gilroy, M., Dennis, A.B. (1998). Treatment of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Clinical Psychology Review 18(4). 421-446. Siegel, L.J. (1982). Classical and operant procedures in the treatment of a case of food aversion in a young child. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology 11(2). 167-172. Singer, L.T., Ambuel, B., Wade, S., Jaffe, A.C. (1992). Cognitive Behavioral treatment of health impairing food phobias in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 31(5). 847-852. Winer, J.M. (1984). Psychopharmocology in childhood disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 7(4). 831-843.