Get The Facts About The Major Types Of Eating Disorders - Kartini Clinic

Kartini Clinic provides medical stabilization, day treatment, and outpatient programs, all of which have a strong medical emphasis. We do not use psychiatric wards and never separate children from their parents during treatment. Prompt and adequate weight restoration, leading to normalized growth and development as well as to psychological remission of eating disorder symptoms, is the goal of eating disorder treatment at Kartini Clinic. Since 1998 we have treated more than 1700 children and their families with all forms of eating disorders. If you are seeking eating disorder help, contact our intake coordinator at 503 249 8851.

There are a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about eating disorder, not least the fact that the term encompasses very different disorders, with different signs, symptoms and treatments. Here are a few facts based on the latest scientific evidence available.

Anorexia Nervosa

Both boys and girls can get anorexia nervosa (AN)
AN is not a disease of "rich white kids"; it strikes children of every socio-economic and ethnic group
Despite reports in the press, rates of AN have not been proven to be increasing.
Children as young as 6 or 7 have been described with AN
Just because someone purges (vomits) does not mean they don't have bulimia; anorexia also has a purging "subtype"
There is a large genetic vulnerability component to AN; it can “run in families”
AN can strike fat kids as well as thin ones and is dangerous for all children
Parents do not cause anorexia nervosa and children do not choose to have it

For more specific information about our treatment programs for each diagnosis you may submit an online request for more information or simply call us on 503 249 8851 and ask for our intake coordinator.

Bulimia Nervosa

Just because someone purges does not mean they have bulimia nervosa (BN)
BN is about five times as common as AN
Patients with BN are usually of normal, or even higher than normal, weight and are often undiagnosed
There is a strong genetic component to BN and it can “run in families”
BN will often respond well to a treatment combination of ordered eating, cognitive behavioral therapy and medication

Food Phobia

Food phobia often strikes younger children, both girls and boys
Food phobia is a fear of swallowing, of choking or vomiting such that the child refuses to eat and sometimes even to drink
Food phobia is often associated with other anxiety disorders
Food phobia will respond well to treatment, but it often involves a hospital stay and the use of medication, in addition to therapy
Food phobia has a good long-term prognosis if it is treated