When Lisa and Sheila Himmel published their book Hungry: A Mother and Daughter Fight Anorexia, they became recognized as experts on the topic of eating disorders among girls.

Suddenly, they were being invited to speak to high school students, parents, and even pediatricians – many of whom who admitted having several patients about which they were worried.

“They had patients, some as young as eight, with serious eating disorders that could become life-threatening… Dr. Frederick Llyod told me, ‘I’ve never had to hospitalize on that first visit. My usual strategy is to listen to the family and the child’s concerns, which is most often weight loss. The child almost always feels there is not a problem and they are in control.’” [Source: Psychology Today]

Pediatricians are often the first medical personnel made aware of a young person’s eating disorder. They have the unique opportunity of offering help and intervention before the disorder becomes truly dangerous.

Labels: girls, pediatricians

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton