Special occasions turn a little girl into a princess.  She looks in the mirror and sees herself transformed. It gives her a different vision of herself.

As you can see, four year old Hannah is a healthy, happy little girl.  She is energetic, creative and learns quickly.  Her weight is appropriate for her age and height. There is no reason to think she should ever have a problem with food.

For some children, however, food is a problem, and seeing their reflections brings shame and embarrassment. They don’t like what they see and internalized, they don’t like themselves.

Sometimes it is a faulty self-image which starts them on a path of either eating too much or too little or it may be a medical issue. It is not a simple matter and there can be many reasons, which I am not qualified to address.

If you have concerns about your child’s excess weight, or if your child obsesses over food for fear of gaining weight, consult your pediatrician.

There are varying opinions about eating disorders in children.  Here are two:

• Ellyn Satter, a family therapist and feeding specialist writes,  ”Today’s crisis is not of child overweight. It is of parenting and feeding.  Children gain weight because of how they are fed not what they are fed.”  She has written several books on the subject including: Your Child’s Weight: Helping Without Harming and Child of Mine: Feeding Your Child With Love and Good Sense.
• Another book with good reviews is written by Melinda S. Sothern, T Kristian Von Almen, Heidi Schmache.  It is titled  Trim Kids: The Proven 12-Week Plan That Has Helped Thousands of Children Achieve a Healthier Weight.  I personally do not know the effectiveness of this plan, but it might give you some helpful guidelines.
• Be sure to consult your child’s doctor before engaging in any extreme dietary or exercise program.

The Schoolmarm