Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders
By Anthea Fursland, PhD FAED This is an important and serious topic – for patients, families, clinicians and researchers. I think it is so critical because of the following: Eating disorders (EDs) are debilitating illnesses, robbing people of a full life, and affecting their families and loved ones. Having a chronic ED is more likely […]
An inner fight between eating disorder and mama bear mindset: Eating Disorders & Pregnancy
By Elizabeth Claydon, PhD, MPH, MS, Assistant Professor at West Virginia University School of Public Health “I’m a very instinct driven person, so … it was sort of like an inner fight between eating disorder and mama bear mindset.” ~ Amelia, mother of one The quote above is from a mother (name changed to protect […]
The Concern of “Terminal Anorexia Nervosa”
By Judy Krasna, F.E.A.S.T. Executive Director I’m going to begin this post with an apology, because I know that it’s a terrifying topic and it may be distressing to read. It’s hard for me to write; however, I believe that informed parents are more powerful, even when the information is difficult to handle. A few […]
I Know What To Feed My Child, But What About ME?
By Laura Cohen, FEAST Parent Support Volunteer I think it is fair to say that if you are reading this you are aware of the numerous challenges one faces when helping a loved one through treatment and recovery for an eating disorder. It will arguably be one of, if not THE, hardest thing you will ever […]
The Eating Disorder Slayer
By Charlotte Today is a milestone. Today is my “one year ago my stomach dropped with fear and anxiety; I was completely paralysed, not knowing what to do on our first trip to A&E, where I discovered the true extent of my daughters eating disorder” anniversary (Try getting that on a greeting card!). For […]
The antidote to bullying isn’t joining it
by Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh, F.E.A.S.T. I recently talked with a mom who was shaken and upset because her son was being bullied by classmates for his larger body size. Her instinctual response was to find a way to stop the bullying by helping her son diet. She appealed to me as a fellow mother: her son […]
Binge Eating Disorder in Children and Adolescents
By Janet Lydecker, PhD Does my child have binge-eating disorder (BED)? BED is an eating disorder that is similar to bulimia nervosa but has binge-eating episodes without consistent purging episodes (e.g., vomiting). Many adults with BED report that their binge eating began during childhood, but many children have a subthreshold form of BED (less than […]
What I’ve Learned About Feeding My Daughter With ARFID
Judy Krasna, F.E.A.S.T. Executive Director By Liz McLean, F.E.A.S.T. Volunteer This is what I’ve learned, not what “studies show” or experts say. Hopefully it helps. Trust your gut Mom, ARFID is real Long before a mother seeks a diagnosis, she senses that something is off with her child’s eating. Something is wrong. When she voices concern, she […]
Weight Stigma and Eating Disorders
By Shira Rosenbluth, licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), weight-neutral approach. When a thin person develops an eating disorder, we express concern and fear. We worry about how much weight they’ve lost and want to do whatever we can to make sure they get adequate help. We desperately want them to start eating again and will often […]
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): What is ARFID and what are the available treatments?
By Judy Krasna, F.E.A.S.T. Executive Director By: Megan C. Kuhnle, B.A., and Jennifer J. Thomas, Ph.D.Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General HospitalDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a feeding and eating disorder characterized by limiting the amount or type of food consumed. ARFID often starts early in […]
