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Preteens

Nascent eating disorder?

3 replies

munki · 08/06/2015 17:10

My daughter, age 8, has started to be a bit more body conscious lately - she's very skinny and knows it I think but is conscious that her tummy sticks out a bit which she has been reassured about. Today she came home from school and told me she hadn't eaten pudding with her school lunch - she volunteered this information though usually can't even remember what she's had for lunch.

Now she is saying she doesn't want supper - 'I just don't want any' - she's def not ill.

Could this be the start of an eating disorder? And if so what can I do to head it off? I'm very conscious that I need to not make an issue of food.

OP posts:
sparkysparkysparky · 08/06/2015 17:29

We have similar although no comments about body shape. I suppose that statement must come with a "yet".
Could it be something simple like a sore tooth or a sore stomach.
I avoid any body conscious remarks about myself or anyone else.
I was thrilled to see in a recent edition of either Go Girl or Girl Talk magazine (they all merge into oneGrin ) , photos of distinctly ordinary shaped girls.

munki · 08/06/2015 17:36

She has eaten something now, think she was probably too hungry to hold out! I'm very careful about not talking about body image negatively but I have no idea what goes on at school - and I remember what 8 year old girls are like!

I may look for that magazine, some positive reinforcement of normal body image can't hurt!

OP posts:
sparkysparkysparky · 08/06/2015 17:46

With the better weather there are more chances to get her out and working up an appetite.
Our dd's reaction to any situation she doesn't like (back to school for one) is "I'm not hungry ". While I might be chewing up inside, I try to say "ok then, maybe later".It's Girl Talk magazine which has a worthy "girls are brilliant " pledge thing at the beginning.

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