To all Mums – we know that being the Mother of a child with an eating disorder is terribly hard and emotional.  Mothers can feel a variety of emotions such as fear, anxiety, guilt, powerlessness, panic, anger, and frustration.  Coping with the mindset of a child or teenager with an eating disorder can be exhausting and painful for those who care for them.  You need support and the chance to talk through what is happening, so that you can be the best possible support to your child. 

Dads too!  Its not just the Mums who get involved when a child has an eating disorder.  You are not the only one to be struggling with this problem - get in touch and find out more.

To other family members/friends/professionals - We also regularly receive calls from mothers, fathers, step-parents and single parents; from siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents, godparents and concerned teachers, all wanting to know how to help the young person affected and to off-load some of the heartache and tension which they themselves are experiencing.  If you are supporting a child or teenager with an eating disorder, do feel free to call and talk it through.

ACHE is the section of ABC specifically to help parents with advice and support if they fear their child may have an eating disorder, or if they are suffering with one.  Although mostly called on by parents of school age children, Ache recognises that however old your child is, you are always a parent, and we are here to listen to you and to encourage you during this very difficult period.

For general information about eating problems in children and younger teenagers, click here. 

If you have just found out your child may have an eating problem, and are thinking about how to approach or challenge them, click here.

If you are concerned about a child or teenager and want to know what signs to look for, please click here.

If you would like some advice on where to go next PLEASE DO CALL US - that's what we are here for!

Ache is run by parents who have themselves been through the experience of watching a child struggle with an eating disorder and then go on to recovery.  Whilst no two cases are identical, Ache offers understanding and the opportunity in confidence to discuss ways of helping your child and the whole family.

Some of the ways Ache can help:

• Listening from a basis of experience and understanding
• Supporting you the parent, by phone as often as is required.
• Information and advice
• Helping you get help from the NHS
• Publications and resources

Finding out or suspecting that someone you love and care for has an eating disorder is very frightening and worrying. Often parents do not know how to tackle the situation they find and do not know where to turn to for help.

Please do read the remainder of the ABC website (link to homepage).  Hopefully this information will answer some of your questions, and help you to understand a little better what is happening, but we very much hope that you will use the help-line as it serves to give you on-going support and the ability to discuss events that are personal to your situation. Sometimes getting a different perspective with someone who really understands the situation and has “been there” can help allay some fears or give you a different approach, so we would encourage you to use the help-line.  Although we are a Christian based charity, we would seek to help anyone without judgment or criticism, regardless of faith.

     Helpline:  01934 710336

To read some real life parents' experiences of dealing with eating disorders, please click here and here.