Seeking eating disorder care for your child can be an overwhelming decision. Their illness has already robbed them of so much, and you can’t help but wonder: Won’t treatment mean sacrificing even more? Maybe it can wait until a better time, you reason – when school is out, or social activities have settled down. For now, you just want your child to have some semblance of normalcy.
It’s understandable to want to shield your child from interruptions to their life, especially when they’re already struggling. However, postponing eating disorder treatment often only leads to greater pain and disruption. In fact, every moment spent waiting for the “right time” is a moment an eating disorder can take deeper root.
Here are three reasons not to wait for the “perfect time” to get help for your child with an eating disorder.
1. Your child’s health is at risk.
Eating disorders are not a passing phase. They’re not something children can simply outgrow or fix themselves. Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and other eating disorders are serious illnesses that cause significant harm to both physical and mental well-being. The longer your child’s eating disorder goes untreated, the greater the risk to the body’s digestive, cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems, among others, and the greater potential impact on depression, anxiety, and obsessive thinking and behaviors. Seeking treatment as soon as possible can help prevent or mitigate further complications.
2. Eating disorders can affect every area of your child’s life.
Eating disorders are about so much more than food, and their impact extends far beyond the dinner table. They cast a shadow over every aspect of life — school, friendships, family dynamics, hobbies, mood, and self-esteem — consuming more and more if left unchallenged. There is no time to waste when fighting back against these destructive illnesses. Timely treatment can help your child do much more than simply “get by” — addressing the issue at its core can ultimately improve all aspects of their life.
3. Timely treatment can make the recovery process easier.
The longer an eating disorder goes untreated, the more entrenched it can become in your child’s thoughts, behaviors, and even identity. As the eating disorder gains strength and power, it’s increasingly difficult to imagine life without it. However, early intervention can disrupt the cycle and provide your child with the best chances of lasting recovery. Multidisciplinary care can address the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of the eating disorder, and provide your family with the necessary support, skills, and tools to tackle the disorder before it becomes stronger and harder to overcome.
Every moment counts when it comes to your child’s health. Eating disorders don’t wait for the right moment, and neither can the treatment that sets your child on the path to recovery. We’re here to support your family in addressing your child’s illness as quickly as possible. Together we can help your child recover and reclaim a life of health, joy, and freedom.
Your child deserves the best possible care for their eating disorder. Take the first step in finding the treatment that’s right for them by completing our Get Help for Your Child form or calling 888-364-5977 today.