Compulsive Eating Disorder in Children

There is an obesity epidemic in the United States and children are not immune to it. Fast food meals that include toys, brightly colored candies at the checkout line and less than ideal school lunches all contribute to children being overweight. However, some kids can actually suffer from compulsive overeating that is complicated by emotional issues. Keeping kids at a healthy weight requires knowing the signs and treatment for compulsive overeating in children.

Definition

• Compulsive overeating, also called binge eating disorder, is just as it sounds. It is when a person eats uncontrollably and often in excessive amounts. Many times, this is followed by overwhelming feelings of guilt. This is similar to bulimia, except compulsive over-eaters usually don't purge. Eating disorders are generally more common in women and girls, but in the case of compulsive overeating, males make up around forty percent of cases.

Symptoms

• Compulsive over-eaters usually struggle with weight gain or are obese. You may find stashes of food in your child's bedroom that he or she hides from you. Look for food containers and wrappers in discrete places. Usually they eat unhealthy snack foods that make the child feel good temporarily. They feel compelled to eat even when they are not hungry at all. Older children and teenagers may express feelings of guilt after eating so much.

Causes

• There are many reasons why a child may feel a compulsion to overeat. Often times, parents may mistakenly believe that their child is just hungry all of the time because he is growing. Even children who are in the midst of a growth spurt need healthy well-balanced meals. Chances are, the physical eating disorder has emotional roots. Eating disorders are often caused by traumatic events such as parents divorcing, sexual abuse, bullying, death and violence. It may not be until years later that the compulsive overeating surfaces. An eating disorder isn't always caused by a single traumatic event. Sometimes it can be the result of built up stress, anxiety and other hardships of being a kid.

Diagnosis

• Your family doctor or psychiatrist will diagnose your child with a compulsive overeating disorder by using standardized criteria. Characteristics include eating more food in one sitting than most people could consume, feeling out of control of their eating, eating in secret, eating when not hungry, feelings of guilt and remorse. Also, to be diagnosed with the disorder, the binges occur at least two days a week for a period of over six months.

Treatment

• Your doctor will assess the child's overall health and may order specific tests to look for problems that are often associated with obesity. Besides nutritional counseling, it is crucial that any child with an eating disorder receives psychological therapy. A combination of family therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy can be very helpful, as it will help find the emotional roots of the problem and teach the child and family how to change negative behaviors. According to the National Institute of Health, binge eating is often associated with depression, so some children may benefit from an antidepressant.