Does your adolescent with chronic pain have an eating disorder? ~ Confronting Chronic Pain

Having an adolescent with chronic pain poses some challenges that many parents may not be prepared for. But there are other conditions that can come about after the onset of the chronic pain, adding more to deal with than the original problem. As it turns out, teens who suffer from chronic pain may also be more susceptible to ending up with an eating disorder.

In a March 2016 issue of the Journal of Pediatric Health Care, researchers reported their findings after studying the connection between eating disorders and chronic pain. They compared a group of adolescents with chronic pain and concurrent eating disorders with a group of matched adolescents who had an eating disorder but did not have chronic pain. What they found was that 41 percent of the teens who had chronic pain developed the eating disorder after the onset of the chronic pain (1).

They also report that eating disorders can go longer periods of time without being detected in those with chronic pain. This adds to having a poorer prognosis. Researchers report that the teens may be at a higher risk for eating disorders because the chronic pain causes frequent disruptions to their eating pattern.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, around 10 percent of young women suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S. (2). They report that it also occurs in boys, but less often. Symptoms and warning signs for eating disorders include food binging, severe diets, using laxatives, forcing themselves to throw up after meals, and avoiding eating regularly. For those with chronic pain, the main symptoms may be not eating enough, binge eating, or having an unhealthy relationship with food.

If your teen suffers from chronic pain, they may have a higher risk of also having an eating disorder. Pay attention to their diet to see if they are eating well or if there are reasons for concern. If you suspect your teen may have an eating disorder, speak with your doctor about the issue. The first step in getting them help is to identify there is a problem.

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