Purging/Binge-Eating Variation

You said that you were concerned about some of your child's eating habits. Once in a while your child has some of the following problems related to eating:

• Says s/he is fat or feels fat (e.g., after eating a big holiday meal).
• S/he skips meals once in a while.
• S/he goes a day without eating (to try to lose weight).
• S/he exercises a lot (to try to lose weight).
• S/he compares his/her body shape to that of his/her classmates.
• S/he sometimes eats too much when very hungry.
• S/he may be very sensitive about his/her weight.
• S/he may feel bad about him/herself if another child calls him/her "fat."

It is fairly common for children your child's age to do these types of things once in awhile. It is always a good idea to watch out for the things listed above. If your child starts to do any of them a lot, s/he may be developing an eating problem.

Warning signs that things are getting worse

• Your child throws up or uses laxatives after eating too much.
• Your child becomes even more sensitive to comments about his/her weight.
• Your child thinks she is "fat" even though s/he is of average weight or underweight for her height/age.

If you think these things are getting worse, talk to your child's doctor even if you have talked about it before.

American Academy of Pediatrics (1996). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care. Elk Grove Village, Illinois: Author.