For Parents

Information for Families

Help for Parents of Children with Eating Disorders and Body Image Difficulties.

Book An Appointment Contact Us
Help

Help for Parents of Children with Eating Disorders and Body Image Difficulties

Between 1.25 and 3.4 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. Most eating disorders develop during adolescence, although there are cases of eating disorders developing in children as young as 6 years old. It can be extremely worrying if you think that your child has a problem with eating or their body image. It can also be hard to know what to do for the best, or where to turn for help.

SUPPORT

Does my child have an eating disorder?

Eating disorders are notoriously secretive, which can make them very hard to spot. A lot of young people with disordered eating and/or poor body image may not realise that they are actually struggling with an eating disorder, instead just seeing themselves as “fat” or “greedy” or “ugly”. Others may feel too scared or ashamed to ask for help, whilst others may actually fear losing their eating disorder – feeling that it’s the only thing that gives them a way of managing their emotions or a sense of success or control in life. However, there are “silent signs” that parents can look out for:

  • Abnormal weight changes
  • Avoidance of family meals
  • Sudden changes in diet
  • Missing food in the home
  • Increase in physical activity
Personalised Care

Individual vs Family Therapy

The London Centre offers a range of therapy approaches for people with eating disorders. However, we always offer family therapy as a first line treatment for any young people in our service as research has shown that it is the best and most effective treatment, and it is the NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) recommended treatment for young people with an eating disorder. Having said that, some young people may want and benefit from individual therapy, either as a stand alone treatment or alongside family therapy. After meeting with your family, we will be able to provide a recommendation as to which treatment approach might work best for your child. Please download our information sheet for more details.

How We Support you

What to do before my child’s appointment

It is not uncommon for children and adolescents to be very reluctant to attend assessment/treatment. They will often express a strong desire to hold onto their eating disorder, or anxiety about talking openly to a professional about their difficulties. Young people (as well as parents) can have preconceived ideas about what treatment will involve or what seeing a psychologist will be like. This can often result in a fear that they will be told off, judged, misunderstood or talked down to. It is important that young people do not feel forced into attending therapy, and it can often help if they are told that if they do not like their therapist, they will not necessarily have to continue sessions with that therapist. That said, it is not uncommon to find attending therapy difficult at first, and young people should be encouraged to give it a few sessions to see how they feel.
Try talking to your child about any anxiety, preconceptions or fears they have about attending therapy before the first appointment. Try to show your child that you understand these fears and that they are common fears to have, but not necessarily a reason not to attend therapy. Explain to your child that therapy is a safe space to share their thoughts and feelings and reassure them that discussions which take place in the therapy room will be kept as secret as possible. During the first session, older children are usually seen with their parents (at least initially) and then on their own for part of the session. Younger children are usually seen with their parents unless they ask to see the therapist on their own at any point.

Information and support sessions for parents

Whether your child is undergoing treatment with us or not, we are happy to provide information and support sessions for parents and other family members. This could be done as a single session or a series of sessions. Having a child with an eating disorder can be very distressing for the entire family, and parents often feel a mixture of helplessness, fear, guilt, distress, anger and frustration. Parents also tend to be very anxious about saying or doing the wrong thing and do not know how they should be dealing with their child’s eating disorder. Information and support sessions include psychoeducation to help parents better understand eating disorders and how to deal with them. These sessions also involve providing parents with support to help them cope with the distressing impact of having a child with an eating disorder. Please note that if your child is over the age of 18, specific information about your child’s difficulties/treatment will not be discussed unless your child has agreed to this beforehand.

A Place of Specialist Support

Further Information about Family Therapy

If you are considering visiting us, you probably have lots of questions about what to expect and how to guide your child through the process. We have gathered all the key information into one handy guide. If there is anything further you want to know, please get in touch with us.

Start your journey

Take the First Step
Towards Recovery

Recovery from an eating disorder is absolutely possible. With the right support, it’s possible to rebuild a healthy relationship with food, your body, and yourself. Our experienced team is here to help you take that first step with confidence and compassion.

Book An Appointment