| Anorexia nervosa: Treatment options | 700.000000000000 | Anorexia nervosa: Treatment options | Anorexia nervosa: Treatment options | A | English | Psychiatry | Pre-teen (9-12 years);Teen (13-18 years) | Body | NA | Non-drug treatment | Caregivers
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2016-02-02T05:00:00Z | | | | | | 11.1000000000000 | 51.0000000000000 | 916.000000000000 | | Health (A-Z) - Procedure | Health A-Z | <p>Find out about the range of in-hospital and outpatient treatments that can help a child recover from anorexia nervosa.</p> | <p>Anorexia nervosa is a very serious illness. If left untreated, it can lead to
<a href="/Article?contentid=267&language=English">problems in all parts of the body</a>, including the heart, bowels, liver and bones. Because of the serious possible medical complications, anorexia nervosa requires both medical and psychological treatment.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2><ul><li>If a child is at an extremely low weight with an irregular heart rate or low blood pressure, they will receive treatment in hospital. This treatment focuses on giving enough nutrition to return the child or teen to a healthy weight and limiting exercise. At home, the goal is to reintroduce all the foods that a child has cut out from their diet.</li><li>If a child is medically stable, they will be treated at an outpatient eating disorders program by a team of professionals. They will receive psychological treatment and have their weight, heart rate and blood pressure checked regularly.</li><li>Because anorexia nervosa affects the whole family, psychological treatment will usually involve family based therapy. Some teens may receive cognitive behavioural therapy.</li><li>If anorexia nervosa occurs with depression or anxiety, a child or teen may be prescribed antidepressants when they regain some weight.</li></ul> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <h2>In-hospital medical treatment</h2><p>If your child is at an extremely low weight and has a slow or irregular heart rate or low blood pressure, they will need to be admitted to hospital so their heart rate, blood pressure and weight can be monitored closely.</p><p>Most people with anorexia nervosa have experienced substantial weight loss and food restriction. As a result, it is important to provide nutritional treatment to help your child regain weight and restore the body's nutrients to appropriate levels.</p><p>While in hospital, your child will receive the nutrition they need to help them return to health. Your child's healthcare team will adjust the amount of nutrition and activity throughout the stay so your child regains weight in a steady, regular pattern. The goal is for your child to receive the amount of nutrition that their body requires to gain weight and reintroduce a variety of foods that they may have cut out during their illness.</p><p>As a parent, you will typically be involved in feeding by helping to supervise meals with your child. The goal for discharge is for your child to be at a medical status that is considered safe to be out of hospital (at a safe weight and with regular heart rate and blood pressure).</p><h2>Outpatient treatment with a care team</h2><p>If your child with anorexia nervosa is medically stable and does not require an in-hospital stay, you will be seen by an outpatient eating disorders program. There, your child will be cared for by a team of specialists, including a psychiatrist, psychologist, dietitian, adolescent medicine doctor or paediatrician, nurse or social worker. These experts will work together to come up with the best possible care plan to meet your child's unique needs.</p><p>Your child will visit the hospital or clinic to come to appointments, but they will not stay overnight. These appointments will include psychological treatment to address your child's eating disorder and regular checks of your child's weight, heart rate and blood pressure. The weight checks help your child's team see how much weight your child is gaining. Weight gain is a vital part of returning the body back to health.<br></p> | <h2>Nutritional treatment as an outpatient</h2><p>Families can sometimes be surprised by how much nutrition their child needs just for their body to start to rebuild and get back to a healthy weight. If your child is receiving treatment, it is best to reintroduce all the foods that your child cut out while they developed the eating disorder and have them eat a variety of foods from all the food groups.</p><h2>Psychological treatment</h2><p>Treatment for anorexia nervosa generally takes a ‘whole family' approach. This means that a child's care team will include the entire family in the therapy. The type of treatment most commonly provided is family based therapy or treatment (FBT). Some teens may receive
<a href="/Article?contentid=702&language=English">cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)</a> or may take part in other types of family therapy. Whichever therapy is used, it starts once your child is medically stable.</p><p>The purpose of including the family is to help parents support the child with re-feeding at home and any related anxiety the child might express at meal times. Recovery from anorexia nervosa does not happen overnight; it may take years of treatment to fully recover.</p><h2>Medications</h2><p>Some children and teens with anorexia nervosa may also experience depression and/or
<a href="/Article?contentid=18&language=English">anxiety</a>. If these interfere with a person's ability to function or take part in their eating disorder treatment, they may be prescribed
<a href="/Article?contentid=701&language=English">medication</a> along with
<a href="/Article?contentid=702&language=English">psychological therapy</a>. The most common medications prescribed are antidepressants, but sometimes people with anorexia nervosa may also be prescribed anti-psychotic medications to help manage obsessive thoughts. Antidepressants are less effective when someone is at an extremely low weight, so your child's team might not suggest them until your child is at a weight where they may have a benefit.</p> | | | | | <h2>Further information</h2><p>For more information on anorexia nervosa, please see the following pages:</p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=268&language=English">Anorexia nervosa: Overview</a></p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=269&language=English">Anorexia nervosa: Signs and symptoms</a></p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=267&language=English">Anorexia nervosa: Medical complications</a></p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=266&language=English">Anorexia nervosa: How to help your child at home</a><br></p><p> Please visit our teen mental health hub for teen-specific resources on <a href="https://teens.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=3786&language=English&hub=mentalhealthAZ#mentalhealth">treatment and long-term outcomes in anorexia</a>.
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</p><h2>Resources</h2><p>
<a href="http://www.nedic.ca/" target="_blank">NEDIC – National Eating Disorder Information Centre</a> (Canada)<br></p><p>
<a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/" target="_blank">NEDA – National Eating Disorder Association</a> (United States)</p><p>American Academy of Pediatrics –
<em>
<a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/Pages/Is-Your-Teen-at-Risk-for-Developing-an-Eating-Disorder.aspx" target="_blank">Eating Disorders in Children</a> </em></p><p>
<a href="https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/" target="_blank">BEAT – Beating Eating Disorders</a> (United Kingdom)<a href="http://www.b-eat.co.uk/"></a></p><p>
<a href="https://keltyeatingdisorders.ca/" target="_blank">Kelty Eating Disorders</a> (Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre, BC Children's Hospital)</p><p>Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario –
<a href="https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/eating_disorder_info" target="_blank">
<em>Eating Disorders</em></a></p> | | <img alt="" src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/anorexia_treatment_options.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/anorexia_treatment_options.jpg | | | | | | | Anorexia nervosa: Treatment options | | False | | | | | | |
