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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Kids’ Eating Disorders

Child sitting at dining table looking at full plate of food with head in hand, displaying lack of interest in eating

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Some common disorders in children 12 and under include:

Anorexia Nervosa: Signs and symptoms include weight loss (often dramatic), distorted body image, intense anxiety/fear of weight gain and other behaviors that prevent weight gain.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): Signs and symptoms include extreme pickiness; lack of interest in food without body dissatisfaction; aversion to specific tastes, smells, texture and appearance of foods; avoidance of certain foods/food groups or habitual eating of only a few foods; fear of swallowing; anxiety about getting bellyaches or getting sick; weight loss and/or stunted growth from insufficient nourishment and malnutrition.

Pica: Signs and symptoms include eating non-edible substances such as crayons, paper, grass, rocks, feces, hair, paint chips, cleaning powders or clay; health problems such as constipation or diarrhea, intestinal obstruction or infection, anemia or lead poisoning. It is often seen in children on the autism spectrum that have a history of abuse or neglect, or mental health conditions like schizophrenia, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder. It can also be caused by a zinc deficiency.

Subtle warning signs from Cassandra Lenza include:

  • Child discussing dieting, food obsessions or weight-control measures; discussing exercise with greater interest, especially if she/he has not discussed exercise or movement before 
  • Social confinement and isolation 
  • Increased body dissatisfaction
  • Changes on child’s growth chart

Other signs: delayed puberty, eating smaller food portions, weight changes, thinning hair, hiding food, digestive problems, downy hair growth on body, severe mood swings or tantrums, excessive movement

Tips for parents from Marcia Herrin include:

  • Avoid labeling food as good or bad. It is better to serve all kinds of foods in moderation.
  • Avoid talking about dieting, weight or judgments about different body types or sizes. 
  • Never tease a child about their weight or changing body. 

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Beyond Picky Eating: Help for Pediatric Eating Disorders

Children of any gender and age can be afflicted with anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other conditions unique to younger kids, but holistic solutions can help with childhood eating disorders. Read More » 

 

In-Print National Content Mental Health March 2022
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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