Is it possible for a 13yr old boy to have an eating disorder?

[HowManyTimesDoIHaveTo]

Or is it just normal teenage hunger?

DS will not stop eating. He has quite a spare tyre now We have cut out all crisps (none in the house) and I buy small amts of other 'treats' only for lunch boxes. So now he eats toast, apples, cheese and cereal all the time. Last night I put my foot down about his eating - he had a meal and a pud but that was all. Later on I found him eating dry cornflakes out of the box and then realised that the home made cake I had put in his lunch box for today had gone So he won't get it today - his own fault.

But wtf do I do? I have pointed out that's he's put on weight. I've tried reason. Do I really have to lock the kitchen door?

I know he may well lose some of the weight when he grows - that is the pattern that DB and DN both followed - chubby early teens and then bean pole late teens - but even so it's not good to be doing this is it? Not learning good lessons for later life.

he may be about to have a growth spurt.

I notice with my younger brothers that they will spend months gorging on food constantly and then all of a sudden shoot up about a foot over night.

I dont think you should be locking cupboard doors or preventing him from eating if he is hungry. just make sure that he eats things that are healthier options.

also at meal times things like gettign him to drink lots of water during the meal, encouraging him to eat slowly so that his brain has a chance to register the amount he has eaten and when he is full.

also, have you considered he may have worms? sounds a bit horrid but my nephew had them and he couldn't stop eating. they are fairly easily treatable i think.

(welcome back Riven!)

If the men in your family have tended to do the chubby early teens pattern of growth, there's every chance your son is doing the same. And if he's genuinely hungry, then I don't think leaving him hungry is teaching him anything about healthy eating for his later life - he should eat if he's hungry, and not if he isn't. You can still make sure he's eating a healthy balanced diet, getting plenty of fruit & veg etc, but having "hollow legs" and getting through entire loaves of bread and packets of cereal is not unusual or unhealthy in itself for a boy this age.

Thanks everyone.

Tis Orm btw.

Hi Riven my lovely lovely darling So glad to see you.

He's always been a hungry child but the chub is relatively recent. I do think that by and large he eats healthily - as I say I've removed most of the junk from the house. And it's wm bread.

On the moving front he walks to school and back - about 3 miles a day, cycles and skates a lot. But I must admit he does hate walking anywhere - it's boring apparently . And he has started to hate PE at school - which is a new development. From being quite keen on a kick about in the park, and quite enjoying cricket and rugby, he avoids them like the plague. Tis very sad.

I don't know if it's real hunger or just boredom. I know how hard it is to tell the difference.

I think he is being teased abit about his weight at school - or if not actually teased, he is aware of it. Which is why he doesn't like PE. But denies he thinks he has a problem at home.

My 12 yr old DS is a bit like this- and he tends to want to eat more when he is bored or tired(just like he did as a baby!)

I try to limit the 'snack' stuff in the house- he helps himself to stuff..unfortunately he seems to crave 'junk' tyoe food over ny lentilly ways .

When he is busy he is much better- has your DS got lots of physical stuff to do?
True he could be having a growth spurt too...

Good to see you Riven

maryz - he used to do karate - got a green belt.

I think it's more than he doesn't like team sports. He loves skateboarding and has got very good at it. But i do feel that he is a bit self=conscious about his body.