KIDS STARVE THEMSELVES
IMAGE-MINDED 9YOS PUT ON HOSPITAL DRIPS BECAUSE THEY DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOOD ENOUGH
HIGH achieving kids as young as nine are being admitted with eating disorders to Gold Coast University Hospital as they cave in to anxiety and their weight drops dangerously low.
The children often need emergency feeding through a tube. Experts say physical symptoms can be treated quickly but mental issues – particularly anorexia – that drove them into that state can take months or years to overcome.
“They come from good families, can excel academically and be gifted in music, sport and drama,” said paediatrician and Bond University professor Peter Jones. “But on the inside, these children are crying out for help.”
DANGEROUSLY underweight children as young as nine are being admitted to Gold Coast University Hospital in a surge in the number of juvenile patients with eating disorders.
Professor Peter Jones of Bond University, who also practises in the wards as a paediatrician, said cases had doubled since the hospital opened in 2013 – and he warned that low self-esteem was a driving factor.
He said the children often needed emergency feeding via a nasogastric tube.
“It’s very unusual to not have a couple of children (in at any one time), and now it’s up to five or six of those children filling up these acute beds, being monitored, having blood tests and those sorts of things,” he said.
“We do see a number of boys who are coming in with eating disorders that we weren’t seeing before.”
Prof Jones said anecdotally the number of male patients had increased from about two per cent to 10 or even 20 per cent of total cases.
Children of both sexes were coming into hospital with a very low body mass index, often “several’’ kilograms below a healthy weight.
He said many eating disorder cases were linked to low self-esteem despite the children outwardly appearing to be successful in everything they did, from sport to academic achievement.
“Often the children affected appear to have everything going for them,” said Prof Jones.
“They come from good families, can excel academically and be gifted in extracurricular activities like music, sport and drama. But on the inside, often these children are crying out for help and this reality can create confusion for family members who can only see the successes and abilities of their child.”
Prof Jones said many of the children required ongoing treatment and support lasting months or years, with anorexia especially requiring dedicated resources.
“The inpatient treatment is only the beginning,” he said. “Improving their physical symptoms can often be achieved in a few weeks but improving their emotional wellbeing takes much longer.”
Child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg said the issue of negative body image was prevalent among children, with research from Mission Australia showing it was listed as their third most common concern.
“The research shows that if people do look at Snapchat and Instagram, it increases the likelihood that they will self objectify,” he said.
“There’s a desire to (reduce social media) but that’s here to stay. Parents can minimise risk factors by focusing on young people’s achievements and efforts rather than ... saying ‘you’re very pretty’.”
According to statistics from the Butterfly Foundation, which deals with eating disorders, 9 per cent of the population will be affected. The economic cost is estimated at $69.7 billion a year.
Gold Coast Medical Association president Dr Sonu Haikerwal said more young people were experiencing mental health issues.
“I have heard anorexia, which used to be affecting teenagers, is affecting younger people,” she said. “Certainly a poor relationship to food is very common. I’m seeing boys as well now, but mostly girls. I’ll ask them what they think of their body and they’ll say ‘No, I think I’m too fat’. The body image issue if very common.”
Dr Peta Stapleton of Bond University’s School of Psychology confirmed a trend of top students succumbing to eating disorders.
“Children who are worriers or anxious, who might be shy or over-achievers, are the ones who are at risk,” she said.
“They are the ones who usually cause no issues for parents or teachers. Anxiousness is a breeding ground for eating disorders.”
Dr Stapleton said parents and teachers should pay close attention to how students were coping with stress.
“Children can misinterpret the feelings of worry in their stomach and body and often when they eat in that state, they feel sick,’’ she said.
“Because they don’t really know it is worry, not the food, they will remove what they think causes it – the food.”
Anyone who may need help with dealing with an eating disorder can call the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673.