If you haven’t heard of the Medical Care Standards Guide, published by the Academy for Eating Disorders’ (AED) Medical Care Standards Committee, it’s well worth not only reading it, but printing it out as well to have in case of emergency. This guide, also known as the Purple Book/Purple Brochure, is an invaluable resource for all stakeholders to use when assessing and treating eating disorders. It has been translated into a multitude of languages and is used worldwide.
There are times when parents know that something is medically wrong, but they don’t know what tests to ask for in order to assess their daughter/son’s physical condition. They feel as if they won’t be taken seriously by their medical practitioner or by an ER/ED doctor. In addition, tragically, too many medical practitioners are incapable of recognizing eating disorders and are unfamiliar with how to manage them. The Purple Book is extremely useful in these scenarios, and offers key information for clinicians and parents alike.
