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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Any advice please from parents with teens with eating disorders?

27 replies

SendTheNextOneIn · 30/07/2025 11:24

My 13 year old daughter has recently been diagnosed with anorexia. It all came out a few weeks ago and we are now under the local CAMHS eating disorder team. It’s very early days in all of this but to be honest I just need to talk to some other parents who may have been through this and can offer me some reassurance that there can be light at the end of the tunnel?

The CAMHS team have advised that we as parents take over all food decisions, food prep etc and simply present her with the food she needs to eat. So far this is incredibly easier said than done as if there is anything on my daughter’s plate she can’t bring herself to eat then she simply won’t eat any of it. Her main restrictions are around low/no fat and small portion sizes.

I currently feel very lost as to how I am to encourage her to eat, the little voice she has in her head telling her not to eat certain things, that she doesn’t deserve to eat certain things, is very loud and I am struggling to get through to her.

Some days she feels positive that she can beat this and I cling on to that, but it often all disappears at mealtimes.

OP posts:
houseofisms · 10/11/2025 18:01

I’m not sure if this helps but just in case it does….

im 45 but from 13-18 I was severely anorexic then became bulimic (I’m fine now, if anything I over eat!)

5 years ago I realised that I’m adhd (more attention deficit) and asd. I’ve spoken to loads of women my age that are now being diagnosed. A VERY common thing we all share is eating disorders in teen age.

adhd/autism is very different in girls/women to what you would expect.

I watched Christine mcguiness doc about her journey and it made soo much sence. It’s maybe worth a watch (without your daughter) so see if there are any more signs?

hope this helps and you don’t find it offensive xx

LoudPlumDog · 11/11/2025 14:03

This is one of the saddest illnesses out there. My daughter was diagnosed at 17. A very very hard 4 years.

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