Posted: Feb 04, 2021 6:00 AM CT | Last Updated: February 4
Saskatchewan doctors treating eating disorders say the pandemic has led to an increase in children requiring treatment.(Shuttershock)
Two Saskatchewan doctors who treat children with eating disorders say the pandemic has increased patients and those they are seeing are younger than a typical year. More kids are struggling, more kids are being referred for outpatient clinic visits or outpatient treatment, and more kids are being admitted both for medical complications of their eating difficulties as well as psychiatric admissions, said Dr. Ayisha Kurji, a Saskatoon pediatrician.
Kurji said the onset of an eating disorder is typically in the 14 to 15-year-old age group. She said while the statistics are not yet available, anecdotally, younger children are requiring treatment.
Cassandra Szklarski
Trent University student Sterling Renzoni is shown in a handout photo. Renzoni says the pandemic has made it harder for many young people struggling with eating disorders.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Sterling Renzoni January 21, 2021 - 5:30 AM TORONTO - Pediatric and mental health experts say pandemic stress is driving a spike in eating disorders among adolescents and teens, pointing to school disruptions, social isolation and infection fears as destabilizing factors that could have long-term physical and mental health effects. Doctors at Toronto s Hospital for Sick Children, Ottawa s pediatric hospital and research centre CHEO and the Alberta Children s Hospital in Calgary are among those noting a significant jump in admissions and demand for outpatient treatment.
TORONTO Pediatric and mental health experts say pandemic stress is driving a spike in eating disorders among adolescents and teens, pointing to school disruptions, social isolation and infection fears as destabilizing factors that could have long-term physical and mental health effects. Doctors at Toronto s Hospital for Sick Children, Ottawa s pediatric hospital and research centre CHEO and the Alberta Children s Hospital in Calgary are among those noting a significant jump in admissions and demand for outpatient treatment. Dr. Ellie Vyver of the Alberta Children s Hospital says admissions more than doubled at her hospital between July and September last year and continue to rise. Colleagues across the country are reporting similar signs of despair.
How to Navigate This Pandemic Winter With an Eating Disorder
For people struggling with eating disorders, the isolation of a winter in lockdown can be especially challenging. Here are some ways to help manage symptoms and reduce triggers. Rebecca Tucker Updated Photo courtesy of iStock.
Canadians are well-weathered at facing dark, long, cold winters, but for most of us the next few months may look particularly difficult and lonely. For individuals struggling with eating disorders, the isolation and stress of a winter in lockdown can be especially challenging, as it may trigger symptoms. Individuals with eating disorders often find themselves using ED behaviours to give themselves a feeling of control, and if COVID-19 has done nothing else, it has stripped a sense of personal agency from our day-to-day lives. According to Aryel Maharaj, education and outreach coordinator at the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) in Toronto, calls to the centre