From one of Shelley's posts:
"Does the Maudsley Approach teach that recovery is permanent, and that your daughter does not ever have to be on guard, or be aware, if her eating disorder starts creeping back into her life?"
Shelley (and others), many of your questions can be answered by reading about the subject. Information is widely available. Please read 'How to Help Your Teenager Beat and Easting Disorder' by Drs. Lock & LeGrange and 'Eating With Your Anorexic' by Laura Collins. You can also check out the websites of the Universities of Chicago and San Diego and the work of Dr. Walter Kaye. The work of Dr. Ancel Keys with the Minnesota Starvation Study is also eye opening and a summary can be read here http://gunpowder.quaker.org/documents/starvation-kalm.pdf
Anything that causes malnutrition could 'trigger' an eating disorder in one who is predisposed. In the case of my own 18yo daughter (recovered for more than a year now), she understands that full nutrition for life is necessary to keep her healthy.
What does that practically mean? She must take extra care not to become malnourished. Think of all the situations where one might become malnourished....a growth spurt, 'losing the appetitie' for whatever reason, stomach bug, oral surgery, pregnancy/recovery from pregnancy, too busy schedule which doesn't allow for proper nutrition & rest, traveling or relocating to an area where the 'diet' is different to what one is accustomed, 'making weight' for a particular sport/activity, dieting, adjusting to chronic illness such as diabetes.....the list is probably endless.
We consider our daughter completely fully recovered from her bout with a triggered eating disorder; so does she. HOWEVER, we fully understand she could 'trigger' (or 'trip the wire') again if she becomes malnourished and loses weight; she understands this as well. But our family refuses to be held hostage by this disorder; it can clearly be treated with full nutrition, so we will not be afraid of 'it' again. Once it is understood that it's malnutrition that triggers the ed vs the ed triggering malnutrition, parents/caregivers can more confidently intervene nutritionally.
We do not look at eds as boogey-men that jump from behind bushes or beneath beds. My husband and I believe triggering eds is preventable, and we (now) confidently parent accordingly. We have children other than the daughter who became ill, and considering there is a biological element to this disorder (although not fully understood) and since there is no genetic testing at this time of which I am aware, we are assuming all of us (mom, dad, children) have the predisposition for eds and live accordingly....meaning we take extra care to avoid malnutrition....which basically means we enjoy meals & snacks together, and we support one another during times of illness and/or stress. Sounds pretty loving and 'normal', don't you think? ;-)
I hope this has made sense and is helpful to someone.
Best wishes.
p.s. I don't mean to post as 'anonymous', but, technically challenged as I am, I don't know how to change that. So, I'll sign here: Zeri
Comment Reply
From one of Shelley's posts:
"Does the Maudsley Approach teach that recovery is permanent, and that your daughter does not ever have to be on guard, or be aware, if her eating disorder starts creeping back into her life?"
Shelley (and others), many of your questions can be answered by reading about the subject. Information is widely available. Please read 'How to Help Your Teenager Beat and Easting Disorder' by Drs. Lock & LeGrange and 'Eating With Your Anorexic' by Laura Collins. You can also check out the websites of the Universities of Chicago and San Diego and the work of Dr. Walter Kaye. The work of Dr. Ancel Keys with the Minnesota Starvation Study is also eye opening and a summary can be read here http://gunpowder.quaker.org/documents/starvation-kalm.pdf
Anything that causes malnutrition could 'trigger' an eating disorder in one who is predisposed. In the case of my own 18yo daughter (recovered for more than a year now), she understands that full nutrition for life is necessary to keep her healthy.
What does that practically mean? She must take extra care not to become malnourished. Think of all the situations where one might become malnourished....a growth spurt, 'losing the appetitie' for whatever reason, stomach bug, oral surgery, pregnancy/recovery from pregnancy, too busy schedule which doesn't allow for proper nutrition & rest, traveling or relocating to an area where the 'diet' is different to what one is accustomed, 'making weight' for a particular sport/activity, dieting, adjusting to chronic illness such as diabetes.....the list is probably endless.
We consider our daughter completely fully recovered from her bout with a triggered eating disorder; so does she. HOWEVER, we fully understand she could 'trigger' (or 'trip the wire') again if she becomes malnourished and loses weight; she understands this as well. But our family refuses to be held hostage by this disorder; it can clearly be treated with full nutrition, so we will not be afraid of 'it' again. Once it is understood that it's malnutrition that triggers the ed vs the ed triggering malnutrition, parents/caregivers can more confidently intervene nutritionally.
We do not look at eds as boogey-men that jump from behind bushes or beneath beds. My husband and I believe triggering eds is preventable, and we (now) confidently parent accordingly. We have children other than the daughter who became ill, and considering there is a biological element to this disorder (although not fully understood) and since there is no genetic testing at this time of which I am aware, we are assuming all of us (mom, dad, children) have the predisposition for eds and live accordingly....meaning we take extra care to avoid malnutrition....which basically means we enjoy meals & snacks together, and we support one another during times of illness and/or stress. Sounds pretty loving and 'normal', don't you think? ;-)
I hope this has made sense and is helpful to someone.
Best wishes.
p.s. I don't mean to post as 'anonymous', but, technically challenged as I am, I don't know how to change that. So, I'll sign here: Zeri
June 10, 2009 - 1:52pmThis Comment
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