Where to go for support

Have a discussion with the young person. This must be kept sensitive and non-judgemental (Eating Disorders are very secretive). Encourage the young person to seek professional help.

Seek support from your GP or the CAMHS Eating Disorder Young Person Service (EDYS), who can help and advise you on the next steps.

B-eat If you have an eating disorder, or someone in your family does, b-eat is the place you can go to for information and support. Helpline number for those under 25’s: 0808 801 0711 (Daily 3 pm-10 pm) Email: fyp@b-eat.co.uk

To know what local help and support you can get, put your postcode into HelpFinder

Visit the young person’s ‘advice on eating disorders page.

Call: If you are a child or young person, parent or carer in crisis, you can call the Alder Hey CAMHS crisis care line 24 hours a day, seven days a week on freephone 0808 196 3550, Email CrisisCare@alderhey.nhs.uk.

Face-to-face: YPAS’s Alternative to Crisis Drop-In provides a safe space for children and young people to come to. Our trained professional staff will listen and support you through difficult times. Available across three community hubs.

Text: the word GREEN to 85258 for a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope.

The service is staffed by trained volunteers who will work with you to take your next steps towards feeling better. We can help with issues such as stress, anxiety and depression and are here to talk at any time of day or night.

Online: Kooth

Eating disorders in children and young people

Signs your child might be experiencing an eating disorder

Thoughts and feelings

They may verbally say they feel fat, ugly and feel not good enough. They also may tell you they are constantly thinking about food and fixated with food.

Behaviours

Distorted perception of body shape and weight, obsessive behaviour attached to eating such as counting calories or cutting food up into small pieces, secrecy, difficulty sleeping, wearing baggy clothes, vomiting, taking laxatives or diet pills, and excessive exercise. Saying they have eaten earlier or will eat later. Strict dieting and avoiding food they think is fattening. Missing meals (fasting). Avoiding eating with other people. Hiding food. Eating very slowly. Social withdrawal and isolation. Making themselves sick. Calluses on the backs of the hands if fingers are used to cause vomiting and smelly breath from vomiting. Hoarding food, empty food wrappers found.

Physical symptoms

Substantial weight loss or weight gain, constipation, abdominal pains, dizzy spells, feeling faint or, in fact, fainting, lethargy, bloated stomach, poor blood circulation making them feel cold, dry skin and delayed puberty.

How you can support your child/young person experiencing an eating disorder

If they are not ready to talk about their problem, reassure them that you will be there when they are ready. However, don’t leave it too long to broach the subject again. Remember, eating disorders thrive on secrecy.
If they acknowledge that they need help, encourage/help them to seek it as quickly as possible.
If they tell you there’s nothing wrong, even if they seem convincing, keep an eye on them and keep in mind that they may be ill even if they don’t realise it. Denial that there’s a problem is common – you were worried for a reason, so trust your judgment.
Prepare what you want to say and how you’re going to say it.
Avoid talking just before or after mealtimes, as this can be the most anxiety-provoking time.
Say, “I am worried” rather than “You need to get help”.
Don’t be disheartened if you are met with a negative response, as the illness affects how the person thinks.
Don’t label them, “I think you have an eating disorder”.
Don’t be judgemental or confrontational.
Avoid shaming them and telling them they are being “silly” or ask, “What did you do that for”.