Bulimia nervosa: How you can help your child at home

Bulimia nervosa​ is a challenge for the whole family, not just the person who is experiencing it. But there are some steps you can take at home to help your child recover while they receive other types of treatment.

​​Seek treatment

Bulimia nervosa does not go away on its own. It is important to seek help as soon as you suspect it in your child. The first step may be to make an appointment with your family doctor to get a referral to a specialized eating disorder program.

Be a healthy role model

As a parent or caregiver, you are a role model for your children. It is important to promote not only a healthy body image in children but also to show that you have a healthy body image. Avoid saying negative things about your physical appearance and weight in front of children. Instead, focus on what your body can do and on your positive attributes that have nothing to do with appearance. Minimize talk about good or bad foods and focus instead on overall health.

Create a regular pattern of family mealtimes

Make eating meals together as a family a priority, starting when your child is young. Emphasizing health and nutrition, rather than fat content and calories, helps children develop a healthy relationship with food. Eating as a family also promotes strong family bonds and better communication.

For children and teens diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, meal supervision is a key part of recovery. If your child has bulimia nervosa, it is important for someone to sit with them for every meal and snack during the first phase of their treatment.

Be persistent and consistent

Children and teens may experience anxiety or guilt during and after mealtimes, but it is important to maintain consistency and continue challenging their eating disorder behaviours and fears. The only way for someone to overcome these fears is to keep eating different types of foods and eliminate compensatory behaviour such as purging.

Keep triggers to a minimum

Some environments can make it harder for a person to recover from bulimia nervosa. You can help your child's recovery by reducing exposure to situations or materials that might trigger their eating disorder, such as diet books and websites, exercise materials or typical binge foods.

At SickKids

SickKids has an eating disorder program that treats children and teens who are struggling with symptoms of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. For more information on our program visit: www.sickkids.ca/adolescentmedicine/eating-disorders-program

Further information

For more information on bulimia nervosa, please see the following pages:

Bulimia nervosa: Overview​

Bulimia nervosa: Signs and symptoms​

Bulimia nervosa: Medical complications​

Bulimia: Treatment options​

Resources

NEDIC – National Eating Disorder Infor​mation Centre (Canada)

NEDA – National Eating Disorder Association (United States)

American Academy of Pediatrics – ​Eating Disorders in Children ​

B-EAT – Beating Eating Disorders (United Kingdom)

Kelty Eating Disorders​ (Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre, BC Children's Hospital)

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario – Eating Disorders​

Kids Help Phone – kidshelpphone.ca

Kids Help Phone is a 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people.

Tips to support young people with body image