News and Research

For the past year Kartini Clinic staff have been actively involved in helping to revise diagnostic definitions of eating disorders in children for the upcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), 5th Edition. The latest recommendations of the working group on eating disorders have been issued in a report to the American Psychiatric Association. Here are some of the highlights:

The National Eating Disorder Association has created the Parent, Family and Friends Network (PFN) to assist families in need of eating disorder information, treatment, and ongoing support. Kartini Clinic supports NEDA in its mission to help families and their children cope with the challenges of eating disorder treatment.  As a part of PFN activities, NEDA has launched the Navigators Program. NEDA Navigators are volunteers trained to connect with people affected by eating disorders to offer encouragement, resources and hope.

Our families know that at Kartini Clinic we never advocate diets of any kind. Not only do they not work, they can be dangerous for those predisposed to an eating disorder such as anorexia. We continue to be amazed at the number of ridiculous fad diets to come out of Hollywood. The latest, as reported by Healthzone.ca, encourages adults to ingest baby food as a means of restricting calories.

The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) is launching an initiative to gather testimony from families about their struggles with mental health insurers. NEDA believes that insured patients and their families need a voice to communicate their experiences in the pursuit of treatment.  The Advocacy and Communication Committee of the Academy for Eating Disorders wants your help.