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I received a letter from a mom of a 17 year old who said her daughter is continuously purging. She confronted her daughter, who promised to stop, but has since found evidence in her bedroom which indicates otherwise. Her husband argues with their daughter often, and insists that she doesn’t have a problem, and is just being a brat. Their family is being torn apart. Eating disorders can lead to death, if not addressed correctly. Bulimia and anorexia are two forms of eating disorders which evolve from a preoccupation with weight and image. Those who suffer from anorexia have a distorted self image, and diminish their food intake while over-exercising. Those who suffer from bulimia binge on food, then purge or vomit to eliminate their intake. With a young child, food can become a source of empowerment, so never insist, argue or force your child your child to eat something. Instead, find relaxing and fun ways to introduce new foods. Invite your picky eater to help you prepare meals, so he can be exposed to different foods, even if he doesn’t eat them. Check with your pediatrician for deficiencies and offer multivitamins. Look closely at sensory issues, including food temperature, texture, smell and consistency.If your child is an over-eater, find ways, right now, to fill your child with love, confidence and self-esteem. Then be consistent with nutritious, small portioned meals, and increased daily exercise which is fun. We now know a great deal about nutrition, brain foods, and the many effects of chemicals in our foods.Your child’s future health is in your hands. Eat well! Read the full article, Confront eating disorders with counseling, treatment.
Diana Boggia has a masters degree in education with licensure in preschool, elementary and special education. She taught children with multiple disabilities for 15 years and has been working with parents (families) with behavioral concerns for more than 23 years. She develops individualized strategies to build self esteem and diminish negative, attention-seeking behaviors for each child to be successful in achieving remarkable results. Throughout her work with parents Diana has developed a program that includes hands-on materials encompassing limit-setting, developing structure with schedules, teaching time management, increasing listening skills and parenting with incentives, rather than threats. These successful strategies have changed the dynamics of many families who were struggling with their child’s behaviors.
