not eating enough...
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not eating enough...
| Wed, 12-26-2007 - 9:48pm |
Hi- I used the ivillage board years ago when my daughter was a toddler and was helped.
| Wed, 12-26-2007 - 9:48pm |
Hi- I used the ivillage board years ago when my daughter was a toddler and was helped.
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I am in a similar position - worried that my DD doesn't eat enough, and trying to find a way to talk about it that doesn't dissolve into fighting. My DD is 5'8" and weighs around 130, so still a normal weight. But she's very very careful about what she eats, and works out 5 days a week. After chatting with folks here, and IRL, I've taken a wait-n-see with my DD. I convinced her to take a multi-vitamin and a calcium supplement - in the category of 'make your mom happy' lol - and I make sure she gets a balanced meal, with protein, at least every dinner time. I asked her if she'd go to a nutritionist with me, and she said "I'm not going to eat more, and I'm not going to gain weight" which scared me a little, so that's when I got her to agree to a vitamin and to adding in some protein. Once in a while I still get tense about it, but I try to keep that to a minimum because I"m scared she'll just keep her eating a secret from me.
I don't know if I have any good advice for you, just wanted you to know you're not alone.
Sue
Sue, mom to Leah and Seth
Hi...I'm no expert on this..or anything for that matter...I do know that eating disorders can be serious, but I guess there's a fine line between a kid who likes how they look and wants to keep it that way and one who is on the road to a serious issue.
Maybe giving her a food journal will help. Let her keep track herself of how much she eats without you saying anything. Sometimes just giving a kid control can take care of a worry. A lot of things with kids are power struggles in disguise anyways.
If you do feel that she has a problem, I'd say talk to your doctor pronto. It may very well be she is a healthy weight...
Good luck.
Dear Pattie,
It has been my experience that if you believe your child has an eating disorder,take it seriously. IMO I would not ignore it. She may keep it up until the point she becomes very ill .It can be very detrimental to her health. It is an emotional disease and affects self esteem. People feel they have
I think we have been so saturated in the media by horror stories of anorexia and bulemia and the like and yet we truly do not understand the difference between wanting to look and feel healthy and trim and fit and having a disorder such as anorexia or bulemia.
Anorexia and bulemia come with many other behaviours besides what you and I might perceive as "not eating enough".
I plugged your dd's height and weight into the BMI calculator and according to that a 5'3" female weighing 102 is underweight.
Hi-Thanks I rec'd some very quick responses with some good advice.
Thanks for the reply.
I've been thinking the same thing--obesity is more of a problem than eating disorders--and I grew up dancing and was always skinny until my jr/sr year in HS, when I hit average. What's more important is to watch what else is happening in her life that could contribute to an eating disorder, even if one does not exist now.
I just when through a helluva stressful year and lost 12#, that brought me to 117# at 5'5". (No comment from my Dr.) I was sometimes weak and dizzy (when I was so busy/preoccupied I'd forget to eat) and I often had cold hands and feet, always did. When I felt cold it reminded me to eat if I hadn't done so in a while. Now that my life's almost back to normal, I've gained 7# in two months and don't have the weakness and dizziness anymore, but I'm still always cold cuz I'm hypothyroid. I realize that my weight loss happened cuz I was eating more healthfully, albeit, not quite enough. I know I put on the weight so quickly cuz I've not been exercising enough, we've been eating out a lot and having delicious, no-good-for-us refined carb bread before every dinner, and I've been eating more junk food. And I know I was never at risk of developing an eating disorder, even though I may have had some of the symptoms. I am always reading up on nutrition/health.
I'm on both sides here, saying you have to look at what's behind the weight loss. After recently flipping through a 'Lucky' magazine at the gym I have to say I was shocked at how skinny most of the models were. Their bodies did not look healthy. If a girl is strong and she has energy, and she is happy, she's probably safe. But we need to be alert to any changes in her attitude/behavior and the signs of an eating disorder, as therapy should be sought asap if one is developing. It's also good to have regular discussions about nutrition and health with our kids, and encourage use of vitamins/supplements if they refuse to eat healthfully.
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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM
I was going to refer you to a BMI for children and teens I found as I suspect its more generous than the adult ones but 92 lbs??? I would be concerned because she is going down-if nothing else she needs blood work to be sure nothing medical is going on, like diabetes
My 5-8 male weighs 110 at 16 and the teen BMI says he is underweight and needs to see a dr. But he hates being this thin and would like to gain. And they do BMI on school physicals in IL now so the dr knows. Its a totally different thing than with what is going on with your dd. My son just needs to haul his butt out of his room/video game world and make himself a sandwich once in awhile!!!!
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