Eating Disorder Program

• Anorexia nervosa restricting type
• Anorexia nervosa binge-purge type
• Atypical anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
  • Please Note: We currently offer a six-week group for patients with ARFID and their parents. At this time, we do not provide individual therapy for ARFID in most cases.

Outpatient Services

We provide comprehensive medical, nutritional and psychological care (family-based treatment approach) for known eating disorder or suspected restrictive eating for those ages 9-25.

For new consults, patients must establish care with our program before age 23. Therapists typically meet with patients/parents weekly or every other week. Medical visits are usually every few weeks, based on the patient’s needs. Our dietitian is available for appointments every few weeks; we do not offer weekly dietitian visits.

For ARFID, we offer a six-week group for patients and parents, led by our behavioral health team. The group focuses on anxiety, exposures, food chaining, and coping skills. It is intended for patients who are medically stable and able to participate.

Inpatient Services

For those requiring medical stabilization, Lurie Children’s also offers inpatient services. We provide nutrition support, monitoring, and any other medical support necessary in a hospital environment until it is patients are safe enough to continue treatment outside of the hospital. We understand that this time period can be exceptionally stressful for both patients and families, which is why we also provide support for coping, family education, and assistance with planning for next steps after discharge. We work together with the whole family as we know families are key to recovery from an eating disorder.

Mmedical stabilization is available for patients meeting the following criteria

• Weight <75%mBMI
• HR <50 during the day
• BP <90/45
• Orthostatic HR increase by >40 points
• Orthostatic BP drop by >20 points systolic, >10 points diastolic
• QTc >460 on EKG
• Potassium <3.5, Phosphorus <3.0, Magnesium <1.8
• Complete food and liquid refusal for >72 hours

If any of the above criteria are met, the patient should be directed to the Lurie Children’s Emergency Room for further evaluation.

• F.E.A.S.T.
• Maudsley Parents
• Plate-by-Plate
• National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
• Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
• Instructions for Starting Family-Based Treatment (FBT): English | Spanish
• Ten Essential Truths for Parents about Anorexia Nervosa: English | Spanish
• Food Guide: English | Spanish
• Things to Know About ED: English | Spanish

Recommended Books

• Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa: A Family-Based Approach (James Lock & Daniel LeGrange)
• Treating Bulimia in Adolescents: A Family-Based Approach (James Lock & Daniel LeGrange)
• Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder (James Lock & Daniel LeGrange)
• Survive FBT: Skills Manual for Parents Undertaking Family Based Treatment (FBT) for Child and Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa (Marcia Ganci)
• How to Nourish Your Child Through an Eating Disorder: A Simple, Plate-by-Plate Approach to Rebuilding a Healthy Relationship with Food (Casey Crosbie & Wendy Sterling)