Eating Disorders in Children
Eating Disorders in Children
Eating Disorders in Children
Specialist Assessment & Support for Eating Disorders in London
At London Paediatric Clinic, our experienced paediatricians provide expert assessment and support for children with eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours. We understand that eating disorders are serious medical and mental health conditions that can have a profound impact on a child’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, growth, and development. Our aim is to identify concerns as early as possible, provide compassionate, non-judgemental care, and ensure every child receives the specialist treatment and multidisciplinary support they need to make a safe recovery.
Eating disorders can affect children of all ages, genders, and backgrounds and include conditions such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Some children may not meet the criteria for a specific eating disorder but still experience unhealthy eating behaviours, significant weight changes, nutritional deficiencies, or an unhealthy relationship with food. Early specialist assessment is essential to identify medical complications, establish an accurate diagnosis, and begin appropriate treatment before the condition becomes more severe.
Our consultant-led approach focuses on understanding your child’s physical health, nutritional status, growth, emotional wellbeing, eating behaviours, and overall development. We work closely with families while offering prompt access to blood tests, nutritional assessment, ECGs where appropriate, and our multidisciplinary team, including experienced psychologists, dietitians, psychiatrists, and other specialists. Conveniently located in Central London, London Paediatric Clinic provides comprehensive private assessment and ongoing care for children with eating disorders, helping young people recover safely while supporting their long-term physical health, emotional wellbeing, and overall development.
Dr Badr Chaban
MD MRCPCH MSc
Why Choose Us for Eating Disorder Assessment?
Experienced Paediatricians
Our experienced paediatricians provide expert assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing management for children with eating disorders and disordered eating behaviours.
Comprehensive Physical & Emotional Assessments
We carefully assess your child's physical health, nutrition, emotional wellbeing, growth, development, and eating behaviours to provide personalised care.
Same-Day Appointments Available
Where available, we offer same-day appointments, providing prompt specialist assessment and early intervention when it matters most.
Rapid Access to Specialist Support
We can arrange prompt access to blood tests, ECGs, psychologists, dietitians, psychiatrists, and specialist eating disorder services where appropriate.
Ongoing Monitoring & Family Support
We provide coordinated follow-up, medical monitoring, and ongoing multidisciplinary support for both children and their families throughout recovery.
Home Visits & Central London Clinic
We offer home visits alongside our conveniently located Central London clinic, providing families with flexible access to experienced paediatric care.
Testimonials
Comprehensive Eating Disorder Assessments
Every child’s experience with an eating disorder is different, and early assessment is essential for achieving the best possible outcomes. During appointments, our experienced paediatricians take time to understand your child’s eating habits, nutritional intake, weight history, growth, medical history, emotional wellbeing, exercise patterns, body image, and family circumstances. We carefully assess both physical and psychological health, monitor growth and nutritional status, identify any medical complications, and develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your child’s individual needs.
We assess children with significant weight loss, restrictive eating, binge eating, purging behaviours, excessive exercise, body image concerns, nutritional deficiencies, suspected anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other eating or feeding difficulties. Where appropriate, we can arrange prompt access to blood tests, ECGs, nutritional assessment, psychological evaluation, specialist dietitians, psychiatrists, and dedicated eating disorder services, ensuring children receive timely diagnosis, coordinated multidisciplinary care, and ongoing support throughout their recovery.
Fees and Pricing
Clear, transparent pricing is an important part of planning your care. The following guide outlines consultation fees and typical costs for prostate cancer surgery.
Initial Consultation
£300
Clear, transparent pricing is an important part of planning your care. The following guide outlines consultation fees and typical costs for paediatric consultation.
Follow-Up Consultation
£300
Follow-up appointments are available before or after treatment to review progress, discuss results, and provide ongoing guidance.
Private Medical Insurance
At London Paediatric Clinic, we aim to make accessing specialist paediatric care as straightforward as possible. We accept most major private medical insurers and can provide guidance regarding authorisation requirements, coverage, and the options available to you, helping make the process clear and stress-free so you can focus on your child's health and wellbeing.
Recognising the Signs of an Eating Disorder
Eating disorders often develop gradually, and the early signs can be difficult to recognise. Teenagers may begin skipping meals, eating very small portions, avoiding certain foods, becoming preoccupied with calories or weight, exercising excessively, or withdrawing from family meals and social situations involving food. Others may experience episodes of binge eating, self-induced vomiting, or misuse of laxatives.
Parents may also notice unexplained weight loss, changes in mood, increased anxiety around food, tiredness, dizziness, poor concentration, irregular menstrual periods, or declining school performance. Early specialist assessment helps identify concerns before serious medical complications develop and enables timely access to appropriate treatment.
Understanding Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are serious medical conditions characterised by unhealthy eating behaviours and an unhealthy relationship with food, weight, or body image. They affect both physical and mental health and can interfere with normal growth, puberty, nutrition, concentration, emotional wellbeing, and overall quality of life. Without appropriate treatment, eating disorders can lead to significant medical complications and have a lasting impact on a child’s health and development.
Although eating disorders most commonly develop during adolescence, they can affect children of all ages, genders, body sizes, and backgrounds. Early recognition and specialist intervention are essential for achieving the best possible outcomes. Through comprehensive assessment and timely multidisciplinary care, most children can make an excellent recovery, regain their physical health, and develop a healthier relationship with food and their bodies.
Common Types of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders include several recognised conditions, each affecting children in different ways. These include anorexia nervosa, characterised by severe food restriction and weight loss; bulimia nervosa, involving episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviours such as self-induced vomiting; binge eating disorder; and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), where eating is restricted for reasons unrelated to body image. Each condition requires careful assessment to establish an accurate diagnosis and guide the most appropriate treatment.
Some children experience disordered eating behaviours without meeting the full criteria for a specific eating disorder. Regardless of the diagnosis, early specialist assessment is essential to identify any medical or nutritional complications and ensure timely access to the most appropriate multidisciplinary care. With early intervention and personalised treatment, most children can make an excellent recovery and achieve healthy physical and emotional development.
When Should You Seek Specialist Advice?
Specialist assessment may be beneficial if your child has experienced significant weight loss, persistent food restriction, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, nutritional deficiencies, or increasing anxiety surrounding food, eating, or body image. Parents who notice changes in their child’s eating habits, weight, mood, energy levels, growth, school performance, or social behaviour should also consider seeking specialist advice. Children with concerns about ARFID, unexplained weight changes, or ongoing feeding difficulties may also benefit from early evaluation.
Early intervention offers the best opportunity for recovery and can significantly reduce the risk of serious physical and psychological complications. Through prompt assessment, we can identify any medical concerns, arrange appropriate investigations such as blood tests and ECGs where required, and provide rapid access to nutritional, psychological, and multidisciplinary support. Our aim is to help children recover safely while supporting their long-term health, growth, emotional wellbeing, and family life.
Diagnosis & Treatment
Following assessment, we provide clear explanations and personalised recommendations tailored to your child’s individual needs. Depending on the diagnosis and severity of the condition, treatment may include medical monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation, psychological therapy, family-based treatment, and referral to specialist eating disorder services where appropriate. Our priority is to support safe physical recovery, restore healthy nutrition and growth, and address the emotional and psychological factors contributing to the eating disorder.
Where appropriate, we can arrange prompt access to blood tests, ECGs, nutritional assessment, experienced psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians, and our multidisciplinary team to ensure every aspect of your child’s care is coordinated. Through ongoing monitoring and personalised follow-up, we support children and their families throughout recovery, helping them regain their health, confidence, and a positive relationship with food.
Concerned About Your Child's Eating Habits?
If you are concerned that your child may be developing an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with food, early specialist assessment can make a significant difference. Our experienced paediatricians provide expert assessment, prompt access to multidisciplinary care, and personalised treatment to help children recover safely, restore their physical health, and support their long-term emotional wellbeing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child may have an eating disorder?
Eating disorders often develop gradually. Warning signs may include significant weight loss, restrictive eating, skipping meals, binge eating, vomiting, excessive exercise, anxiety around food, changes in mood, withdrawal from family meals, or an increasing preoccupation with weight or body image. If you are concerned, an early specialist assessment is recommended.
Will my child need medical investigations?
Depending on your child’s symptoms and clinical assessment, we may arrange blood tests, ECGs, nutritional assessment, growth monitoring, psychological evaluation, and other specialist investigations to assess their physical health and identify any complications.
Can eating disorders affect my child's growth and development?
Yes. Eating disorders can affect normal growth, puberty, bone health, heart function, hormone levels, concentration, and overall physical development. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to reduce the risk of long-term complications.
Will my child need to see other specialists?
Where appropriate, we work closely with experienced psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians, and other members of our multidisciplinary team to ensure your child receives comprehensive, coordinated care tailored to their individual needs.
Can eating disorders be successfully treated?
Yes. With early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and ongoing multidisciplinary support, many children make an excellent recovery and go on to enjoy healthy, active lives with a positive relationship with food.
Will my child need ongoing follow-up?
Some children require short-term support, while others benefit from longer-term medical monitoring and multidisciplinary follow-up. Any ongoing care is tailored to your child’s individual diagnosis, progress, and recovery.
Do I need a referral?
No. You do not usually need a GP or hospital referral to arrange a private eating disorder assessment at London Paediatric Clinic.
How quickly can my child be seen?
We understand how distressing eating disorders can be for both children and their families. London Paediatric Clinic offers prompt appointments and, where available, same-day consultations, providing rapid access to experienced paediatricians, specialist investigations, and multidisciplinary support without unnecessary delays.
Need to Speak to a Paediatrician Today?
Whether you have concerns about your child’s health, development, behaviour, sleep, nutrition, or wellbeing, our experienced paediatric team is here to help. Same-day appointments are available where possible, helping families access expert care when they need it most.
Our Location
Address: 90 Sloane Street, Chelsea SW1X 9PQ
Conveniently located at 90 Sloane Street in the heart of Central London, London Paediatric Clinic offers easy access to expert private paediatric care for babies, children, and teenagers.