Early Onset Anorexia Essay -- Eating Disorders Health Nutrition Essays

Early Onset Anorexia In recent years, it seems that the public has begun to pay more attention to eating disorders. This trend could be a consequence of the heightened nutrition and fitness craze that the 1990's has brought about, or possibly a result of more intense and conclusive research studies. More clearly defined definitions of anorexia and bulimia in the DSM-IV may also have contributed to better diagnosis of eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is a disorder that in the majority of cases will start when the patient is a teenager. The mean age at onset is figured to be about 17 years of age. The distribution of cases appears 'to be asymmetrical with a skewness towards the higher ages (Theander, 1996). Recently, child psychiatrists have begun to recognize increasing cases beginning in childhood (McCune & Walford, 1991). While refusal to eat and loss of weight are common symptoms in child psychiatric practices, similarities between these anoretic states and the syndrome of anorexia nervosa are slight (Hawley, 1985). While severity of illness is usually associated with worse outcome, age of onset for anorexia can play a critical role in future outcome. Premenarcheal anorexia nervosa has serious implications for the progress of puberty which may in turn, have detrimental effects on the youngsters (Bryant-Waugh, Fosson, Knibbs, & Lask, 1987). It is important that pediatricians, psychiatrists, educators, and parents are able to identify this disorder at early ages. The purpose of the following sections of this paper are to help familiarize readers with signs and symptoms which may aid in identification of anorexia leading to an early diagnosis. Symptoms Associated with Anorexia Girls with anorexia nervosa may d... ...Age and Menstrual Status on Psychological Variables. Journal of -the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiary, 34, 378-382. Hawley, Richard. (1985). The Outcome of Anorexia Nervosa in Younger Subjects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 657660. McCune, Noel & Walford, Geraldine. (1991). Long-Term outcome in Early-Onset Anorexia Nervosa. British Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 383-389. Rastam, Maria. (1992). lmdrexia in 51 Swedish Adolescents: Premorbid Problems and Comorbidity. Journal of the American Academy of Chlld and Adolescent Psychiatry, 11, 819-827. Romeo, Felicia.(1996). Educators and the Onset of AnorexiaNervosa in Young. Education, 117, 55-60. Theander, Sten. (1996). Anorexia Nervosa with an Early Onset: Selection, Gender, Outcome, and Results of a Long-Term Follow-Up Study. Journal of Youth and Adolescencg, 25, 419428.