Help for Eating Disorders: A Parent’s Guide to Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Dr. Debra K. Katzman, MD, FRCP (C) & Dr. Leora Pinhas, MD, FRCP (C)
Robert Rose Publishing (2005)
ISBN 9780778801153
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (11/10)

It is estimated that 11 million Americans have eating disorders and the mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of all causes of death for females 15 to 24-years-old. This is a scary thought considering eating disorders are often an onset during childhood. For example, anorexia nervosa usually develops during adolescence, however studies have shown that children as young as four have been diagnosed with the disorder (Mayo Clinic study).

Doctors Katzman and Pinhas, using information from The Disorders Program at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, developed a concise and informative book for parents. Their explanation is thorough and to the point while giving parents the latitude to explore their own home situation, look for symptoms, and learn how to approach the child with a suspected eating disorder.

Understanding the disorder is the first step while being educated.  “Help for Eating Disorders” enables parents to expand their own knowledge and to seek help for further assistance.  Education and support are the key elements in moving the child from a disorder to a healthy life style.

With such a high rate of eating disorders in our society, I encourage all parents to inform themselves of potential disorders that may blindly occur in their children. Doctors Katzman and Pinhas give us this opportunity in “Help for Eating Disorders: A Parent’s Guide to Symptoms, Causes & Treatments.”

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