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 Canadian
Medical Association Journal
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Eating disorders present tricky diagnosis
What may appear to be an eating disorder could in fact be something quite different, a psychiatrist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) says. Dr. Hazen Gandy made the comment during a scientific meeting on eating disorders sponsored by the Canadian Association for Adolescent Health and CHEO. Gandy noted that symptoms related to eating disorders "may only be a part of a complex of psychiatric symptoms and may or may not be the most functionally impairing or debilitating." Gandy stressed the importance of ruling out medical conditions — panhypopituitarism is one — whose symptoms can mimic those of eating disorders. He advised physicians to keep an open mind and take a "broad view" when making a diagnosis. According to the National Eating Disorder Information Centre, 65% of people with eating disorders have experienced some form of abuse, including physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and they may also have witnessed violence between parents. CHEO's chief of psychiatry, Dr. Simon Davidson, said that regardless of the steps taken while treating these patients, it is essential to use an interdisciplinary approach. Humour, persistence, role modelling and guarantees of protection and safety are some aspects of the treatment protocol employed at CHEO. Physicians seeking further information for patients can refer them to the National Eating Disorder Information Centre — Erica Feininger, Ottawa
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