Take Charge of Your Child's Eating Disorder

Book excerpt: Eating disorders require a complex combination of psychological, medical, and nutritional approaches. As a parent, you are the constant guardian of your child's health, but often the best way to extend treatment from the examining room to the living room isn't clear. Take Charge of Your Child's Eating Disorder is a hands-on, medically-based guide that tells you what you need to know about eating disorders. As the founder and director of the Adolescent Eating Disorder Parent Education and Support Program at Stanford University, Dr. Pamela Carlton has treated hundreds of children and adolescents with eating disorders as well as guided their parents through the maze of eating disorder treatments. This book offers a wealth of crucial information, including: Warning signs and diagnostic criteria for anorexia, bulimia, and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) Facts about the "hidden" eating disorder — "Female Athletic Triad" A step-by-step plan for diagnosis, treatment options, and recovery support Detailed advice for putting together and successfully managing a treatment team The real story about insurance: what's covered, what's not, and how to fight the system Specific strategies for handling delicate situations, talking to your child, and accessing the most up-to-date resources