Presentation at NEDA 2015 conference

Katie and I had the honor of presenting in the Individual, Family, and Friends track at the National Eating Disorder Association Conference in San Diego yesterday.  The title of our talk was:  Family Based Nutrition Therapy:  Creating A Supportive Environment.  It was a chance to share the way we work to support families who are helping children with eating disorders.

Here are some of the key points of our talk:

• Families can be an important part of the solution for eating disorders.
• Parents can and should help with refeeding and nutritional rehabilitation.
• Food is medicine for the treatment of eating disorders.
• The initial focus of treatment should be on nutritional rehabilitation; don’t worry about the cause.
• Growth charts should be used to establish individualized weight goals.
• Three meals and three snacks at regular intervals throughout the day helps in the recovery for ALL eating disorders.
• More fat and variety in the diet lead to better outcome for patients with anorexia.
• Prioritizing health sends a strong message; don’t be afraid to pull a child with an eating disorder from an activity.
• In beginning stages of recovery exercise generally is contraindicated; prioritize health.
• Exposure is important to recovery.  Expand the range of foods eaten.  Practice eating in different settings.  Return to restaurants the family used to enjoy.  Push different meal combinations.
• Serve dessert daily until the child no longer asks, “When don’t I have to have dessert anymore?”
• Photos of meals can be used for remote supervision.
• Parents need to prompt children with anorexia to eat.  This will likely upset them but get them to eat which is necessary for recovery.
• Parents should provide a structure that reenforces recovery behaviors and makes it impossible for the child not to recover.
• Parents should seek support for themselves.  Great resources for parents include:
  • F.E.A.S.T.
  • Around the Dinner Table Forum
  • Maudsley Parents
  • Eva Musby
  • Eating Disorder Parent Support