DENVER — Throughout the years, the Eating Recovery Center (ERC) has seen more younger patients, prompting them to launch its Brave Bites 812 programming.
The national organization has programs in 16 states, including Colorado. According to data they shared on their website from the Eating Disorders Coalition, the rate of children under 12 being admitted to a hospital for an eating disorder rose 119% in less than a decade.
Luis Herrera, a Denver clinical manager at ERC in the Child & Adolescent Unit, explained that children ages 8 to 12 will exhibit eating disorder symptoms differently than teenagers.
According to ERC, the Brave Bites program offers treatment tailored to a child's needs, including developmentally modified curriculum, sensory rooms, and staff specifically trained in pediatric treatment.
"There are two things that are in development in [young children] that are a little bit more crystallized in teenagers. [Kids] don't have what's called an interoceptive sense. They don't know what they're feeling on the inside. They don't have a good awareness or insight of their internal systems. And second, they don't have an internal emotional regulatory skill," said Herrera, who added that this is part of why he said it's important to have different treatment options for the different age groups.
Mia Perry, now in high school, battled an eating disorder when she was just 12 years old. She wanted to share her story to inspire others to get help and know they aren't alone.
"When I first went to the ERC, I had not really been cooperating. I thought that maybe I was getting very competitive with people that I was also in a cohort with. That kind of spiraled to the point where I had to get a feeding tube. And the moment where I got a feeding tube, I realized that I wanted to recover," she said.
She said support and communication from her family was key in her recovery.
"Unless you go through it rationally, you can't understand not eating. And you can sit there and you can argue and say, 'Please consume this' or 'Do this,' and what I didn't understand and what ERC really helped as you're going through the process, because parents are going through an education process," said her father, Justin Perry.
Mia is now a junior in high school, part of the track team and enjoys spending time with her siblings and dogs.
"It's just 1,000% worth it to be able to explore and travel the world and be with your family and not be trapped in this cycle of fear and anxiety that I was constantly dealing with when I was going through my eating disorder," she said.
Herrera advised parents that so-called "picky eating" on its own is not a cause for alarm.
"Kids are going to have preferences — that is just normal. What's important is we really focus on what disrupts normal developmental progress in the child. Things that are fueled by distress, any behavior or pattern or ritual that has an underlying fear or anxiety. That's what's concerning," he said. "Parents can feel a level of relief around any of these things in isolation. One is OK, but to be curious and observational around a collection of symptoms that may inform something else is going on."
He said the first step for a parent who might be concerned that their child is suffering from an eating disorder is to check with their pediatrician first.
"That's the best person who has data and history on your child to assess appropriately if specific care is needed," Herrera said.
The Eating Recovery Center also offers free assessments. Click here for more information.
