Anorexia nervosa: How to help your child at home

Anorexia nervosa is a challenge for the whole family not just the person who is experiencing it. However, there are some steps you can take to help your child recover and help your family's routine return to normal.​​

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. 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 the overall benefits of different food for 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 anorexia nervosa, meal supervision is a key part of recovery. During the first phase of their treatment at home, it is important for someone to sit with them for every meal and snack.

Be persistent and consistent

Because of the anxiety associated with anorexia nervosa, children and teens may hesitate to eat their feared foods. However, the only way for a child or teen to get over these fears is to keep eating different types of food and not use exercise to justify eating.

Keep anorexia nervosa triggers to a minimum

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

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 anorexia nervosa, please see the following pages:

Anorexia nervosa: Overview​

Anorexia nervosa: Signs and symptoms

Anorexia nervosa: Medical complications

Anorexia nervosa: 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​

BEAT – 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​

ANAD – National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (United States)

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