Child weight issue

[hammerman]

Big help needed here. My step daughter's half sister is 13 years old and has a serious eating problem. She's already a size 12 and is getting bigger. She eats anything and everything and often steals money to buy sweets etc.

Her mum is a nurse and has recognised the problem....she has to lock away virtually every food item in the house. They went into her bedroom the other day and found loads of yoghurt pots, empty crisp packets and even angel delight packets where she'd eaten the powder.
Her dad kind of refuses to accept it and can't be advised on it....it's his little girl.

They've taken her to the Dr's but they won't do anything until she's 16. Apparently, this girl eats like a horse and has to be eating all the time.

It's like she bullemia but without being sick. They've tried the nice approach and tried the nasty approach towards her and she just doesn't care.

This has started since she began her periods a year or so ago so could it be puberty/hormone based

Does anyone have any ideas....she's a lovely kid but something needs to be done now. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as just giving her less food as she finds a way of getting it.

Thanks in advance

HM

[Goodsoulette]

I always felt big as a kid because I wore a different size to everyone else. Somehow myt parents thought the same too. I wasnt skinny but looking back I was by no means fat either. I was 5'8 by the time I was twelve and 8 stone but could not fit into my age range in clothes. Issues were made surrounding food and now Ive struggled my whole life.

I don't think you parents should relate it to food. get her swimming or something and again like Daffy Id love to know how tall she is because its not like she's in the plus size ranges. At worst I bet she's a little bit chubby and lots of growing teenagers, scoff a bit before a growth spurt and then slim down. Sadly with all the attention about what she eats and how big she is, she might develop a permanent bad attitude to food.

[Bambiagain]

Sqad's suggestion of a psychiatrist is probably the way to go, but only if she is amenable. It sounds like she is eating to compensate for something (assuming that there is not a medical problem, which should of course be ruled out first). Apart from puberty, has she experienced any changes in her life recently? Has she got friends and a social life? She may well not accept help from her mother, as her parents may be part or all of the problem, but she does need to stop bingeing before it becomes a habit she cannot break. Size 12 (if she is of average height) is not huge, but she will get bigger if she carries on. I speak from bitter experience here. When I was 13 my family moved and I had to live in a small village with no friends, very strict parents who controlled my life to the extent that I had no opportunity of meeting anyone outside school and nothing much to do except stuff myself with food. But since nobody did anything to stop me - in fact I don't know whether they even noticed - it took me half a lifetime to sort myself out. It's good that this girl has people who care and want to help.