ChildLine issues warning over child eating disorders

Friends and family are in the frontline of the fight against eating disorders in children and have a "vital part to play" if a young sufferer is to recover, according to a new report by leading children's charity.

In the ChildLine report, 'I’m in Control – Calls to ChildLine about eating disorders', the charity said that contacts by children over the issue rose by almost a third last year to 1,300 calls.

The research indicated that a significantly higher number of callers said they had told a friend (31%) rather than their mother (16%) or their GP (9%) about their illness. Friends, said the charity, are crucial in supporting each other, and are often extremely distressed by what their friend is going through - many call ChildLine to speak to a counsellor about the effect of an eating disorder on a friend.

The charity also concluded that eating disorders were predominantly part of an ‘intertwined knot of problems’ – including family breakdown, bullying, bereavement, and in some cases abuse - which must be unravelled before the process of recovery can begin.

ChildLine’s Chief Executive, Carole Easton, said: "This report makes a significant contribution to the debate on this difficult subject because it gives a voice to the young people whose lives are being destroyed by these debilitating conditions. We hope that it will form a springboard to greater understanding and offer fresh hope for young sufferers, as well as their friends and families. The pictures painted by this report are of intelligent, successful, high-achieving and determined young people who may seem unlikely to be vulnerable to destructive behaviours like anorexia and bulimia.

"However, a closer look often reveals a 'knot of problems' out of which an eating disorder develops." Ms Easton said that eating disorders derived from a need to feel a sense of control, to communicate feelings, or to block out painful emotions.

The report, sponsored by Next and written by award-winning journalist Brigid McConville, examined the testimony of young sufferers and was based on analysis of calls to ChildLine between April 2001 and March 2002.

ChildLine is a free 24-hour helpline for children and young people, and can be contacted on 0800 1111. Lack of funds means that lines can be busy, so ChildLine urges children to keep trying until they get through.

(GMcG)