As a parent it can be heartbreaking to watch your child struggle with food and it’s no doubt made worse by the fact it’s a challenge we have to face multiple times every day. Sadly, issues with food are very common amongst autistic people with both eating disorders and disordered eating being prevalent.
If this is something that you’ve been struggling with or if you are supporting someone who is finding food a challenge then you’ll want to join us at our upcoming webinar with Dr Rachel Moseley taking place on 3 April 2025:
You can book tickets to the webinar here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1036674239557
We’ve all heard the terms “disordered eating” and “eating disorders”, but are they really the same? Let’s clear this up…
Eating Disorders: The Clinical Side
Eating disorders are not just about watching what you eat. They’re serious illnesses that can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, or background. Think of them as falling on the extreme end of disordered eating.
Types of Eating Disorders:
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorder
- ARFID (sometimes this is tricky to pin down as a ‘type’ of ‘disorder’ and can stretch between two teams; both eating disorder teams and occupational therapy)
- OSFED (Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder, previously known as EDNOS: Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)
Each comes with its own set of criteria, as outlined in the DSM-5.
What to Watch For:
- Extreme behaviours like severe calorie restriction
- Binge eating, or purging
- Severe avoidance of certain foods
- Body Mass Index: Some people with eating disorders will have a critically low BMI. However, other people with eating disorders will have BMIs in the normal to high range. BMI is not a reliable indicator of eating disorder severity.
Whatever someone’s weight, these behaviours can take a toll on both physical and mental health and it’s important we recognise this.
It’s important to understand that disordered eating is very much a spectrum.
Disordered Eating: The Grey Area
Disordered eating isn’t a diagnosis in itself but rather a range of irregular eating behaviours that don’t fit the criteria for a specific disorder.
What it Looks Like
Similar symptoms to eating disorders but perhaps less severe or frequent. It often stems from a distorted relationship with food, exercise, and body image but can also include sensory sensitivities and social/communication difficulties, too.
Spotting the Signs
So, how do you know if your child is struggling with disordered eating? These are the symptoms to watch out for:
- Distorted body image
- Strict rules around food and exercise
- Unhealthy weight control behaviours
- Frequent dieting
- Red Flags: Any significant departure from regular eating habits or a preoccupation with food, exercise, or body image.
Navigating ‘Normal’ Eating
Understanding what non-disordered eating looks like can provide a helpful benchmark.
It’s essential that eating habits are regular, varied, flexible and enjoyable. In contrast, disordered eating often involves rigidity, guilt, and a preoccupation with food or body image.
The Impact
Whether it’s an eating disorder or disordered eating, the consequences can be serious.
- Health Ramifications: From cardiovascular issues to social isolation, the effects can be far-reaching.
- The Road to Recovery: Seeking professional help is crucial. Early intervention can prevent escalation into more severe disorders. However, not enough is yet known about how best to support autistic people through eating disorders. We do know, however, that autism-adapted treatment is crucial.
If you suspect your child is struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder, don’t hesitate to seek support.
Come along and learn more:
In our upcoming webinar on eating disorders and disordered eating, we are joined by Dr Rachel Moseley, Principal Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University, who will use both her academic research and personal lived experience to explore this important subject.
Ideal for those supporting autistic people, we’ll be seeking to understand why autistic people are especially vulnerable to eating disorders and what treatment and recovery looks like.
What you will learn:
- A brief overview of the key features and statistics around the most common types of eating disorders; what features or mechanisms do they share in common?
- Eating as an autistic person: pre-eating disorder challenges and differences for example with selective eating.
- Clinical features and prognosis for eating disorders in autistic people; how do they differ from the general population?
- Pathways to eating disorders for autistic people; what factors lead to the development and maintenance of eating disorders?
- What do we know about support and treatment for eating disorders in autistic people?
This webinar will give you the information you need to feel confident in supporting autistic people with any eating challenges they may face.
Book tickets here to join us on 3 April: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1036674239557
