Eating disorders soar since Covid lockdown
Eating disorder specialists say services are at breaking point, with the number of patients soaring since the Covid-19 lockdown.
The number of New Zealanders seeking help for eating disorders has doubled this year and the number of clients needing specialist services has tripled in some cases, the specialists say.
NickiWilson, the chairwoman of Eating Disorders Association New Zealand (Edanz), said children as young as 8 were having to wait weeks, sometimesmonths, to be seen for life-threatening eating disorders like anorexia nervosa.
Association volunteer Kelly Mahuika said more and more parents had been taking their children to emergency departments for help.
‘‘I have had parents call saying their child has passed out from malnutrition and they do not know where to turn to for help.’’
Mahuika said Covid-19 seemed to have exacerbated the situation due to the stress caused by the pandemic.
People might also be picking up on their family members’ eating disorders as they spent more time together.
Clinicians and health experts were meeting yesterday to discuss the crisis at a private hui run by Edanz and The Werry Centre – the national centre for infant, child and adolescent mental health.
Edanz is calling for a sector-led specialist panel, backed by the Government, to look at ways to provide better support.
‘‘Eating disorders, like anorexia and bulimia, are treatable illnesses – people can get better quite quickly if they are treated early enough but that is just not happening,’’ Wilson said.
Due to long waits nationwide, it was common for a condition to deteriorate, she said. ‘‘People of all ages have ended up being hospitalised for refeeding while they wait for access to an eating disorder service.’’
The mortality rate for people with eating disorders is one of the highest for all psychiatric illnesses.
Wilson said district health board clinicians had reported a big increase in paediatric treatment for eating disorders and this year it had been harder to access treatment than ever before.
‘‘One specialist told me their district health board had more than doubled its paediatric inpatient caseload this past year alone, on the back of already significant increases in previous years.’’
The number of callers to Edanz’s 0800 number is four times higher this year and private sector clinicians are seeing an almost triple increase in referral rates.
Dr MarionRoberts, who runs a private treatment clinic in Auckland’s Parnell, said demand had increased fourfold since April this year.
‘‘There are always multiple factors leading to eating disorders.
‘‘The likes of Covid have definitely added to it, particularly for our teen clients,’’ Roberts said.