I think DD15 is developing an eating disorder. She eats as little as she can get away with, in fact she will only eat at all if I sit at the table with her and supervise until she's finished. She lies about having eaten when I'm not there and throws food away in secret.
For background, she had a breakdown 3 years ago and spent 6 months in a CAMHS inpatient unit. During this time she was diagnosed with ASD and we were told this was the cause of her severe depression and anxiety. It has been a long hard road since then but over the last year she has improved hugely - no longer suicidal and mood so much better overall.
Over the last month or so her mood has noticeably flattened and now these body image issues and starving herself as well as self harming again which she hadn't done for over a year. How can I best help and support her? So far I have tried to have a gentle, non confrontational talk where I asked how she felt her mental health was at the moment, told her I knew she was skipping meals, and offered to help her with a healthy weight loss plan (she could lose around a stone and be at the lower end of a healthy BMI). I talked about the body and brain needing nutrition and how blood sugar levels impact on mood etc.
I got back''everything's fine, I'm not trying to lose weight, my appetite just decreases in the warm weather''. It worries me that where DD used to tell me when she was feeling low, she is now withdrawing and denying there's a problem. She is still seeing a therapist at CAMHS who is aware of my concerns, but as DD's BMI is not underweight, is advising to monitor only at the moment. However from the little I have read on eating disorders, early intervention is vital to stop the behaviours and disordered thinking from becoming entrenched?
I would be really grateful for any advice from other parents who have faced this situation or those who have recovered from an eating disorder. Sorry it's so long.