Eating disorders in young children continue to rise

An increasing number of children in the United States are landing in the hospital for treatment of eating disorders and pediatricians should be on the lookout for patients suspected of having this problem, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Among children younger than 12 with eating disorders, hospitalizations jumped 119 percent between 1999 and 2006, says the clinical report in Monday’s edition of the academy’s publication.

"Eating disorders are complex illnesses that affect adolescents with increasing frequency. Many parents already suspect or know about their child's eating disorder but haven't been counseled about how to get involved," said Dr. Garry Sigman, director of adolescent medicine and an expert in adolescent eating disorders at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. "The physician's responsibility is not only to help bring about the disclosure but to help the family move toward recovery."

Provided by Loyola Medicine