Childhood Eating Disorders: Support & Treatment Options

The Counseling Corner | Orlando, FL | est. 1998

Treating Childhood Eating Disorders since 1998: Understanding, Healing, and Thriving

🍎 Eating Disorders & Disordered Eating in Children

Compassionate, Evidence-Based Treatment for Young Minds and Bodies

Eating disorders don’t just affect teens and adults—they can begin in childhood, often disguised as picky eating, rigid routines, or intense food fears. At The Counseling Corner, we offer gentle, age-appropriate care to help children heal their relationship with food, body image, and self-worth.

Since 1998, our therapists have walked alongside children and families throughout Central Florida, offering trusted, personalized support to restore health, safety, and joy.

🧠 What Eating Disorders Look Like in Children

Early signs of disordered eating in children may include:

  • Fear of eating certain foods or extreme food rules

  • Intense concerns about weight, body size, or appearance

  • Avoiding meals, hiding food, or refusing to eat in front of others

  • Rituals around eating (cutting food into tiny pieces, chewing excessively)

  • Sudden weight loss, fatigue, or growth delays

  • Digestive issues with no clear medical explanation

  • Shame, perfectionism, or anxiety tied to food and control

Disordered eating can stem from anxiety, trauma, sensory sensitivities, control issues, or low self-esteem—not just body image concerns. Our job is to treat the whole child, not just the food behaviors.

👩‍⚕️ Common Diagnoses in Children

  • Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – Often linked to sensory sensitivities or fear of choking/illness.

  • Anorexia Nervosa (early-onset) – Intense fear of weight gain, food restriction, or body checking.

  • Bulimia Nervosa – Rare in young children but may emerge in pre-teens. Characterized by cycles of bingeing and compensatory behaviors (e.g., excessive exercise or purging).

  • Binge Eating Disorder (BED) – Emotional overeating episodes, often followed by shame.

  • Orthorexia (in older children) – Rigid “healthy” food obsessions that limit nutrition and flexibility.

  • Body Dysmorphia (BDD) – Obsessive focus on perceived flaws, even in elementary-age children.

🛠️ How We Help: Treatment Approaches for Children

Our approach to child eating disorder treatment is integrative and trauma-informed. We tailor every plan to your child’s emotional, cognitive, and developmental needs. Therapies may include:

  • Family-Based Treatment (FBT) – Empowers parents to take an active role in helping their child reestablish healthy eating patterns

  • CBT & TF-CBT for Kids – Teaches children to challenge negative self-talk and cope with anxiety

  • Play Therapy & Expressive Arts – Offers children safe ways to express fear, perfectionism, or body image distress

  • Parent Coaching – Helps caregivers reduce food-related power struggles and rebuild trust

  • Coordination with Nutrition Professionals – We consult with your child’s physician and dietitian to support full-body recovery

📘 What Parents Should Know

1. Early intervention is critical.
The earlier we begin treatment, the better the outcomes—both physically and emotionally. Don’t “wait and see.”

2. Your child’s eating disorder is not a phase.
Disordered eating isn’t about attention—it’s about distress, fear, and loss of control. Left untreated, it can escalate quickly.

3. Parental involvement is key to healing.
In Family-Based Treatment (FBT), parents are not blamed—they’re empowered. You’ll learn how to support meals, challenge “food rules,” and provide a calm anchor for recovery.

4. Food fears are often not about food.
Anxiety, trauma, sensory overload, or perfectionism can all drive disordered eating. We treat the root, not just the behavior.

5. It’s okay to feel scared—we’ll help guide you.
Parents often feel helpless or afraid to “make it worse.” With our support, you’ll gain clarity, skills, and confidence to help your child heal.

💬 A Parent’s Perspective

“I thought I was helping by adjusting meals to fit her needs, but I was actually feeding the fear. With the support of The Counseling Corner, I learned how to gently—but firmly—help my daughter face her fears and eat again.”
— Mother of a 10-year-old in recovery

🧠 Why Choose The Counseling Corner for Child Eating Disorders?

  • 🧒 Full-time, licensed therapists trained in child and adolescent eating disorder care

  • 🤝 Family-Based Treatment and trauma-informed support for parents and caregivers

  • 🎨 Child-centered therapies: CBT, TF-CBT, Play Therapy, Expressive Arts

  • 🍽️ Collaborative care with pediatricians and registered dietitians

  • 🏡 Welcoming offices in Orlando, Clermont, and Orange City/Deland

  • 💻 In-person and secure virtual therapy and bilingual options available

We approach eating disorders not with fear—but with firm compassion, clinical insight, and deep respect for your child’s potential to heal.

📞 Take the First Step—We’ll Help You Navigate the Rest

Eating disorders can feel isolating and terrifying—but you don’t have to face them alone. Let us help your child (and your family) move toward freedom, nourishment, and emotional well-being.

📞 Call The Counseling Corner today at 407-843-4968 to schedule a consultation.
🌐 Serving Central Florida children and families—in person and online.

Testimonials

"Counseling at The Counseling Corner gave us back our daughter. Family therapy taught us healing communication." —Parent of a recovered teen

"Online therapy provided flexibility and privacy, crucial for overcoming my bulimia." —Adult client

Your Journey Starts Now

Recovery from eating disorders is challenging yet completely achievable with the right support. Your child deserves compassionate, professional care to reclaim their life and thrive again.

Contact The Counseling Corner today at 407-843-4968 or email info@counselingcorner.net to begin your recovery journey.