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- All nerves were eaten up: Russian schoolchildren began to suffer from anorexia and bulimia more often
All nerves were eaten up: Russian schoolchildren began to suffer from anorexia and bulimia more often
In Russia, it has become more common to diagnose eating disorders in schoolchildren. According to the latest data, up to 4.5% of teenagers may suffer from them, that is, almost every 20th. Izvestia explains how to identify anorexia, bulimia and other disorders in a teenager, how they are dangerous for children and how to cope with such diseases.
RPP in children and adolescents
In Russia, eating disorders (EDS) are increasingly being diagnosed in schoolchildren. Their onset may be disguised as a harmless fascination with a healthy lifestyle, Anna Vandaeva, a medical psychologist at the Department of Medical Rehabilitation of the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital of the Russian Ministry of Health, told Izvestia.
–– Eating disorders are not a one—time refusal of lunch or an increased interest in sweets. This is a mental illness that usually develops in adolescence, but increasingly in children aged 11-13 years. According to the Center for the Study of RPP, today up to 4.5% of adolescents in Russia suffer from eating disorders, and the age of the first manifestations is gradually decreasing, Vandaeva noted.
At the same time, she added, it can be difficult to diagnose a disorder in children - it can "hide" behind other conditions. The symptoms of bulimia can be confused with gastritis, and anorexia can disguise itself as a desire for proper nutrition. Teenagers often hide their symptoms, and parents and teachers interpret their behavior as self-care.
–– It is important to understand that RPP is not about being overweight or having a bad appetite. It's about a distorted perception of the body, high anxiety, guilt, and painful control," the Izvestia interlocutor emphasized.
What is RPP?
Eating disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by severe eating disorders, anxiety about weight and nutrition, and a distorted perception of one's own body.
According to Anna Vandaeva, anorexia nervosa and bulimia are most common in children. Anorexia is the desire to lose weight at any cost, most often it occurs in girls, but sometimes it also happens in teenage boys. Children can completely refuse food or minimize its intake, ignoring hunger and health risks.
– Bulimia nervosa is an alternation of overeating and "compensations": artificial vomiting, laxatives, exhausting workouts, explains a medical psychologist.
In addition, Olga Romashina, a psychologist and consultant in weight correction and eating psychology, adds that children may experience compulsive overeating - episodes of uncontrolled overeating without subsequent cleansing actions or a selectively limited eating disorder when a person avoids eating a number of foods due to discomfort, fear and anxiety. It can develop even in young children.
–– These diseases are not whims, but mental disorders that require professional help. They are based on dysmorphic phobia, a distorted perception of one's own body and an obsessive desire to change it," emphasizes Anna Vandaeva.
How does RPP manifest in children?
RPP in children can manifest itself in different ways - physically and psychologically. These usually include:
sudden weight fluctuations;
avoiding meals, eating alone, hiding;
fixation on calorie counting, interest in diet communities;
episodes of overeating and subsequent vomiting;
increased physical activity, especially against the background of food restrictions;
changes in clothing (for example, a fascination with an oversized style only);
interest in cooking food, but refusal to eat it;
frequent weighing, obsessive thoughts about food and body shape.
Sometimes disorders can manifest themselves as a deterioration in the child's physical condition, adds Maryam Saifulina, pediatrician at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic). With anorexia, a sharp weight loss, pale skin, brittle hair and nails are noticeable, and the menstrual cycle may be disrupted in girls. With bulimia, weight may remain normal or even elevated, but irritation and inflammation of the mouth and throat, damage to tooth enamel are observed.
–– It is important to understand that it is impossible to reliably judge the presence of RPP by weight and appearance. A person can be of normal weight and at the same time have a severe course of anorexia or bulimia," emphasizes medical psychologist Anna Vandaeva.
Why do RPP occur in children? Why are they dangerous
Like most mental disorders, RPP is formed under the influence of a complex of factors. These are biological reasons (hereditary predisposition, metabolic disorders, hormonal changes), and psychological reasons — low self-esteem, suppressed emotions, difficulties in recognizing and expressing feelings, a tendency to guilt and all-or-nothing thinking.
–– Most often, the causes of RPP in children are related to personality formation, family influence, school stress, bullying, and early body changes during puberty. Sometimes social networks with imposed beauty ideals and the fear of rejection play a role, says psychologist Olga Romashina.
At the same time, Anna Vandaeva adds, sometimes eating disorders can form as early as infancy.
–– For example, if a child is breastfed every time not out of hunger, but in case of any discomfort, an attitude is formed.: "When I feel bad, I have to eat." Later, food becomes a way to cope with stress, anxiety, and loneliness, says a medical psychologist.
In childhood, RPP can be especially dangerous for several reasons related to the physiology and psyche of the growing organism.
––Diseases lead to a lack of nutrients, which disrupts growth (slowing down growth and weight gain), leads to delayed puberty, causes osteoporosis and delayed bone mineralization, which increases the risk of fractures," explains pediatrician Maryam Saifulina.
In addition, she adds, disorders can disrupt the functioning of the cardiovascular system (bradycardia, arrhythmias, decreased blood pressure), which is especially dangerous when a child is underweight. A deficiency of micronutrients (especially fatty acids, B vitamins, zinc, and iron) can impair cognitive functions: attention, memory, and learning ability.
— It also disrupts the neurotransmitter balance (serotonin, dopamine), which exacerbates anxiety, depression and obsessive thoughts. The child's psychoemotional state may worsen, social isolation may develop, and the risk of suicidal thoughts may increase," the Izvestia interlocutor notes.
Therefore, she concludes, it is important to treat RPP immediately after detection, so that they do not have time to become chronic or lead to irreversible somatic consequences (for example, infertility or cardiomyopathy).
How to treat RPP in children
If the parents suspect that the child has RPP, they should immediately consult a doctor. The first step may be to consult a psychiatrist: it is he who makes such a diagnosis and excludes other diseases. You also need to see a pediatrician who will assess your general condition, possible complications, and give you referrals to specialist specialists.
–– In severe cases, a teenager may need to be hospitalized to restore water and electrolyte balance and control the functioning of vital organs, - says pediatrician Maryam Saifulina. –– Because the sooner the parents ask for help, the better.
At the same time, she adds, adults should never criticize a child and force him to eat. It is important to adjust nutrition, regime and physical activity with specialists - they will also teach you how to cope with anxiety and stress without harm to your health. This requires personal or family work with a psychologist.
In order to reduce the risks of developing RPP in children, medical psychologist Anna Vandaeva advises creating a healthy and supportive atmosphere in the family. And follow simple rules.:
Don't divide food into good and bad;
Don't criticize weight and appearance;
maintain a varied diet;
discuss media images and filter out dangerous content;
Don't use food as encouragement or punishment;
pay attention to the child's feelings;
strengthen self-esteem and emotional intelligence;
build trust in a relationship.
–– RPP is not about food. It's about the inner pain that a child can't handle otherwise. The task of adults is not to condemn, but to notice and support in time. If you see alarming signs in your child, contact a specialist as soon as possible," concludes the interlocutor of Izvestia.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
