Dentists Can Help Detect Early Signs of Eating Disorders

Dr. Giuseppe Spezzano, C. Psych. — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:12:51 +0000

Injection by Conor Lawless

In the United States, eating disorders affect 5 to 10 million females and 1 million males. The disorders include anorexia and bulimia, although binge eating, which is currently being considered for inclusion into the diagnostic manual of disorders (DSM-V) is the most common food related problem facing Americans. As with many problems in living, early detection and treatment are key to an improved prognosis. The early signs of anorexia and bulimia can include dramatic weight loss or gain, knuckle scars from placing fingers down one’s throat to induce vomiting, cooking elaborate dinners for others but eating very little despite being thin or dangerously underweight, and the use of laxatives or diet pills. For binge eating the signs to look for include rapid eating, eating large amount of food at one sitting, feeling a loss of control while (...)
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Post tags: dentist, early intervention, eating disorders, psychology, research-based, teenagers
Note: Posts on Family Anatomy are for education only, and are not intended to replace professional or medical advice. If you need to talk to someone about family or mental health issues, you can get a referral from your family doctor.

How Important are the Early Years to Later Psychological Wellbeing?

Dr. Giuseppe Spezzano C. Psych. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:12:36 +0000

In June 2009, Drs. James Mercy and Janet Saul wrote an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that summarized the state of knowledge regarding the benefits of early childhood interventions. Research has conclusively shown that family breakdowns, such as parental mental health and substance abuse, neglect, and abuse, have been linked to increased levels of aggression, conduct disorder, antisocial behaviour, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, anxiety, depression and suicide in children. The authors noted that while most researchers are now clear that preschool interventions can improve early childhood experiences and development, policy makers are not yet fully aware of the research showing that adolescent and adult health is also “profoundly affected by early childhood experiences and can similarly be improved”. Research is now showing that health in adulthood depends on the development of psychological, behavioural and social competencies that can only be built on a childhood foundation of safety, stability and nurturance. These three concepts are particularly important and deserve to be clearly defined. Safety has to do with the extent to which a child is free from excessive fear. Stability has to do with the consistency of a child’s relationship with his/her caregiver, and nurturance measures the extent to which a caregiver is available and able to respond sensitively and meet the varied needs of a particular child. Early interventions that help promote these three factors have been shown to improve health during later childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

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Note: Posts on Family Anatomy are for education only. If you need to talk to someone about family or mental health issues, you can get a referral from your family doctor.

© Dr. Giuseppe Spezzano C. Psych. for Family Anatomy, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: abuse, childhood, early intervention, prevention
Note: Posts on Family Anatomy are for education only, and are not intended to replace professional or medical advice. If you need to talk to someone about family or mental health issues, you can get a referral from your family doctor.

Family Anatomy » early intervention

Dentists Can Help Detect Early Signs of Eating Disorders

How Important are the Early Years to Later Psychological Wellbeing?