Eating disorders

Summary

Desciption
Treatment
Advice
Focus: autism spectrum
Our specialists
Services
troubles alimentaires

Desciption

Anorexia, bulimia and hyperphagia are eating disorders.  They can be expressed by weight loss or gain, sometimes coupled with self-induced vomiting, difficulties in participating in or eating a meal, excessive physical activity, etc. 

It is important to detect an eating disorder and to act rapidly to ensure it does not become lasting. 

Treatment

Eating disorders typically begin in adolescence but can start before the age of 12.  If you are concerned speak to your paediatrician or your GP.  Treatment (reimbursed by health insurance) starts with psychological help and respecting a special diet, coordinated by your GP.   

If this initial approach does not succeed, the disorder worsens or it is an immediately severe case, you can contact the H.U.B Department of Child Psychiatry. For children aged under 12 this is at the Huderf site (children’s hospital) and for adolescents and young adults at the Erasmus site. 

  1. Diagnosis: The care pathway begins with an initial consultation with the child psychiatrist. A number of further examinations and checks are carried out to confirm or refine the diagnosis.  
  2. Treatment: Depending on the child’s or adolescent’s situation, there are 2 levels of intervention:  

 

  • A programme of intensive and multidisciplinary outpatient care that also provides parental support;
  • Hospitalisation at the Huderf (for ages 8-14) or at the Erasmus Hospital (for ages 12-18). This is reserved for very severe cases, often with comorbidities (critical malnutrition, depression, attempted suicide, anxiety disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, etc.). Hospitalisation is always on  a voluntary basis and is accompanied by a contract (with weight goal) entered into with the patient or patient’s family.   

Advice

The Huderf Department of Child Psychiatry coordinated and launched  www.tca-bru.be, a Brussels platform dedicated to (young) people with an eating disorder, their families and healthcare professionals.  Here you will find:

  • A self-assessment test with 5 questions,
  • Information on the various eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, hyperphagia),
  • Care pathways and assistance available. 
Spectre autistique

Focus: autism spectrum

The eating disorders treated by the H.U.B medical and paramedical specialists include a specific specialisation in detecting and treating eating disorders combined with an autistic spectrum disorder. Very often these are young girls whose autism has not necessarily been diagnosed and whose eating disorder is highly ritualistic in nature and complicated to understand and treat.

Our specialists

Services