Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder

by James Lock, Daniel le Grange

If your teenager shows signs of having an eating disorder, you may hope that, with the right mix of love, encouragement, and parental authority, he or she will just "snap out of it." If only it were that simple. To make matters worse, certain treatments assume you've somehow contributed to the problem and prohibit you from taking an active role. But as you watch your own teen struggle with a life-threatening illness, every fiber of your being tells you there must be some part you can play in restoring your child's health. In Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder , James Lock and Daniel Le Grange--two of the nation's top experts on the treatment of eating disorders--present compelling evidence that your involvement as a parent is critical. In fact, it may be the key to conquering your child's illness. Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder provides the tools you need to build a united family front that attacks the illness to ensure that your child develops nourishing eating habits and life-sustaining attitudes, day by day, meal by meal. Full recovery takes time, and relapse is common. But whether your child has already entered treatment or you're beginning to suspect there is a problem, the time to act is now. This book shows how.

Genres: Self Help, Psychology, Parenting, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Unfinished, Health

295 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Eva Musby · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your child is under 18 and is suffering from anorexia, you need to know that this is THE first treatment to go for, as it is the only one that has shown successful outcomes in randomised controlled trials. This book, written by the people who researched and developed the approach, shows you, the parent, what's involved.

The approach commonly called 'FBT' or 'Maudsley' or 'Manualised Maudsley' (if you've heard of 'New Maudsley', that's something different).

The authors are my heroes. When our daughter really started to improve, we were under the care of eating disorders specialists following this family-based approach and getting supervision from the authors' team.

Read this book to understand eating disorders in general, and then to understand what it means for you, the parent, to ‘take charge’.

Then read it again.

Then you could also read ‘Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa. A family-based approach’, also by James Lock et al. Plus a few other essential books for parents which you can find in my reviews here or on my website www.evamusby.co.uk My own book and videos very much follow the same philosophy and give you practical 'how-tos".

My review is for the first edition, but there is now a second edition

Eva Musby (www.evamusby.co.uk)

[Eva Musby · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your child is under 18 and is suffering from anorexia, you need to know that this is THE first treatment to go for, as it is the only one that has shown successful outcomes in randomised controlled trials. This book, written by the people who researched and developed the approach, shows you, the parent, what's involved.

The approach commonly called 'FBT' or 'Maudsley' or 'Manualised Maudsley' (if you've heard of 'New Maudsley', that's something different).

The authors are my heroes. When our daughter really started to improve, we were under the care of eating disorders specialists following this family-based approach and getting supervision from the authors' team.

Read this book to understand eating disorders in general, and then to understand what it means for you, the parent, to ‘take charge’.

Then read it again.

Then you could also read ‘Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa. A family-based approach’, also by James Lock et al. Plus a few other essential books for parents which you can find in my reviews here or on my website www.evamusby.co.uk My own book and videos very much follow the same philosophy and give you practical 'how-tos".

My review is for the first edition, but there is now a second edition

Eva Musby (www.evamusby.co.uk)

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a great deal of necessary (imo) and useful information for parents, caregivers, and other family dealing with this issue. It is, at times, dry as a bone and a bit tedious to get through, so not particularly a fast read.

My greatest difficulty with this book is that my child falls into the lesser known/understood category of Avoidant/Restrictive, and that left me trying to piece together where information in this book did/did not fit with our situation.

This book is a great resource, and I appreciate all of the links to studies, as well as additional resources offered at the end of the book. Best wishes to all of those who are on this sometimes scary, and long, journey!

[Wendy Abel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative! All pediatricians should read this and recommend it to parents of eating disorder patients, and all libraries should have this on their shelves, as it's one of the most recently published books on eating disorders, contains the latest study results, addresses both girls and boys with eating disorders, as well as the most recent eating disorder diagnosis of ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder). It promotes Maudsley Approach family based therapy as the most effective treatment, but also addresses other treatment options and how parents can be involved.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the better books on the subject of eating disorders. Would likely be a helpful guide for parents with a newly diagnosed teen or those who have already experienced some of the devastation these diseases cause. Discussion of various treatment options as well as case studies are explored.

[Vgathright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't finish this but found it very helpful when we had a fresh diagnosis and I was desperate to learn everything I could. This book is better if you are trying to explore options and figure out a treatment plan on your on. Thankfully, we had a great treatment plan laid out through us through Seattle Children's and Eating Recovery Center. Can be a bit tedious and overwhelming and repetetive, but is extremely thorough, and was still reassuring and helpful..

[Mary Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful overview of treatment options available to families who have a child with an eating disorder. Not as applicable to parents of young adults where they are not generally part of the treatment plan.

[Dan Cogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chapter on how a child with an eating disorder thinks was extremely useful, worth buying for that alone

[Quail75 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very helpful for anyone that has a loved one with an eating disorder. It is recommended reading from The Emily Program.

[John Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very difficult book to finish and also very helpful.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good guide to start with

[Becky Douthit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dry as its written by professionals vs parents with experience. Its helpful as clinicians but Id recommend other books for parents.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book wasn't applicable to our current situation, but I hope that what I learned will help me help my child alongside a therapist.

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book thinking since it was aimed at the parents of teens it would be easy to understand and a good resource in learning more about eating disorders. While the book does exactly what the title says, guides you in ways to help your adolescent by acting now it wasn't a good fit for me personally. It wasn't all for naught pushing through the 200+ pages. I DID learn a little bit more about the subject, like the different treatment options and that we still don't know A LOT about the disorders. It has an endless supply of resources; long lists at the end of every chapter as well as at the end of the book going into as much detail as locations for treatment centers in US states AND Canada. It wasn't the easiest thing to read and that's why it's only getting an "ok" rating from me.

[Charlotte Bevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BIBLE for evidence based treatment protocols for treating a teenager with an eating disorder.

Life changing, life saving and, in conjunction with FEAST and the Around the Dinner Table forum, saved my daughter's life.

An absolute MUST READ for all parents of a child with eating disorders.

[Kait Vanderlaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for parents of children and teens who are struggling with eating disorders. If is full of important information about eating disorders as well as guidance on how to support their teen who is struggling.

[Lauren A Cargill · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading every book I could find on how parents can understand and help children with eating disorders, this was the book that put it all down in black and white. Straight, honest, no BS help. It’s a tough road for parents, but this should help clear a path forward.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is based on the Maudsley approach with some references to other theories that are out there and a guideline for parents to start to figure out what to do with their child with an eating disorder

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has certainly helped me understand my daughters eating disorder. I call it my very special guide book.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really the kind of book that you read to like. Read this as research for work. I thought it was very informative. My heart goes out to all families facing an eating disorder.

[Maureen Connolly]

Interesting information on a tough subject matter.

[Chaya]

gr8

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't really address the issues we were dealing with so didn't finish.

[Kristen Norris zimny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good resource for those parents/ family members of a child with an eating disorder.

[Zhuo Zhang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really informational and gives all the supporters of FBT a true and substantial hope.

[Bourdonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good insights but written for parents (as it clearly states on the cover so I’m not complaining). Not much new information for me as a GP.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find that for me this will be a good resource, covers a wide range of eating disorders.