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Eating Disorders In Children
If I had a dollar for every time I persuaded
a girl of 8 or 9 that they were not, in fact, fat, I’d be
considerably richer. When my older daughter was about that
age, their mothers were putting a lot of her friends on diets.
It drove me absolutely crazy to see these poor little girls,
worrying about their “tummies” or “fat” that wasn’t even evident,
except to a mother who was hoping for a super model-skinny
pre-pubescent child, which is ridiculous. When they were at
my house, they ate well, I wouldn’t allow them to drink or
eat anything diet and I encouraged them to eat healthy food
that would strengthen their bodies and bones. I also tried
to assure them that they were not fat; that they would grow
into their bodies and they were absolutely beautiful just
the way they were. With that came some nutritional education
about eating a healthy combination of foods that would not
make them fat, but strong and naturally slender.
Parents, at around age 8 and 9, children can
be short and plump. Once they gain height, their bodies balance
out and grow longer, thus eliminating the storage of “baby
fat” all in one or two places. If you are in doubt, please
consult your child’s pediatrician and whatever you do, don’t
even think about saying the word “fat” when talking to and
about your child.
Using food as a reward or punishment is equally
damaging and can lead to eating disorders that swing either
toward over-eating or under-eating. Think about what you are
saying to your child when you either withhold food as punishment
or offer unhealthy food as a reward.
I see these same kids who were labeled “fat”
and fed diet foods and drinks at very early ages, now in their
mid-teens. Most of them are svelte and downright skinny. Unfortunately,
quite a few of them are skinny by indulging in horrible habits,
such as starving themselves or inducing vomiting after every
meal. These kids, girls mostly, are so obsessed with being
“skinny” they’ll do anything to shed pounds or not put any
on. Most of them survive on diet soda, which scares me more
than obesity. Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners, which
are extremely toxic and are now known to cause many potentially
deadly ailments, especially after having been consumed for
years.
Eating disorders are almost as common as acne
in teenagers today. These can create many health problems,
not the least of which is potential death. Try telling a 15
year-old girl that she is not fat after her mother or both
parents have been urging her to diet from the time she was
old enough to dress herself.
Bulimia, which is the act of inducing vomiting
after eating to maintain one’s size or to lose weight, creates
horrible health problems of it’s own, including rapidly deteriorating
teeth because the stomach acids retched up on a daily basis
destroy tooth enamel faster than sugar ever could. We know
children who are fainting and breaking limbs as a result of
undernourishment, children who have developed severe tooth
decay from bouts of bulimia and children who’s self-esteem
is so damaged that no matter how much weight they manage to
drop, they still see themselves as fat and unattractive. These
are not even just “average” looking kids. Most of these children
are amazingly beautiful specimens of humankind. Go figure
…
Another potentially harmful age to mention the
“fat” word is right before or when puberty hits. Girl’s bodies
will change, apparently overnight and the slender little child
you held in your arms a month ago will have developed budding
breasts and a rounder behind. This can be startling and you
might assume your little girl is getting fat. I assure you,
she is not. She is merely developing and maturing naturally.
This would be a good time to have a talk with your daughter
about menstruation, as it is right around the corner and she
will be much better served if she is prepared and aware of
what to expect.
If you are concerned that your child is indeed
overweight, talk to the pediatrician and try to insure that
your child eats a healthy, well-balanced diet. Children will
naturally eat bread, chips, cakes, cookies, ice cream and
drink soda if left to their own devices when hunger or thirst
strikes. All of these will pack on unnecessary pounds and
should be minimally incorporated into a healthy diet consisting
of protein, lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and purified drinking
water. Soda is something I do not offer my children and is
a major contributor to many people being overweight. The amount
of sugar in one can of soda rivals that of a good-sized candy
bar. It is not healthy for anyone. Diet soda, in my opinion,
is even more detrimental.
Eating disorders are dangerous and should be
taken seriously, whether your child is trying to loose pounds
unnecessarily or needs to actually loose weight for health
concerns. Always maintain a dialogue with your child’s pediatrician
and discuss any and all concerns with the doctor on the telephone,
before your child is within earshot in the examining room
with you.
Children will take any remark we make about
their bodies seriously and as parents, we should strive to
fortify healthy self acceptance in our kids. If your child
does, indeed, have a weight problem, help him understand the
value of good nutrition and exercise. Help her understand
that she is beautiful and that a healthy body is a perfect
body, no matter what shape or size. If you are a parent struggling
with a weight issue, please do not project your anxiety onto
your child and be careful to monitor your children's eating
and exercise habits while also watching for any signs of an
eating disorder, which could manifest as a compulsion with
weight loss or an obsession with unhealthy snacking. Be gentle
and non-alarming if you feel it's necessary to restrict your
child's consumption of junk food. Teaching children to fear
their food is not any healthier than allowing them open reign
in the junk food aisle of the market. Moderation is always
key in healthy eating habits and if learned early, will serve
them well all their lives.
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About the Author:
Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and
Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains
an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com
– http://www.rexanne.com
-Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday
pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her newsletter,
Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.phpl
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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