Transcript Diapositiva 1 - IIS Fazzini

ARION PROJECT
INTERNATIONAL MEETING
GROTTAMMARE
2007,21-25th MAY
EATING DISORDERS (EA): HOW TO INFORM
AND TO TRAIN TEACHERS, IN ORDER TO
DETECT AND PREVENT TEEN AGERS
DISCOMFORT
Emilio Franzoni
Child Neurology and Psychiatry
Regional Center for Eating Disorders in child and
adolescence
S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital
Bologna University
Italy
Eating Disorders (EA) are mainly
classified as:
•Anorexia Nervosa (AN)
•Bulimia Nervosa (BN)
•Obesity
•Others EA
The real estimate of the phenomenon
diffusion is not clear, but we know that
the more frequent age of onset is
between 13-24 years.
AN starts mainly between 13-17, whilst
BN is 16-24.
Any adolescent, sooner or later, may
shows anorexic behaviour.
However this is not always illness.
The distribution over population involves 90% of females
and 10% of males.
Recently the percentage, in males, has increased from 5
to 10%.
However, ED also involve children and pre-adolescents
with different mechanisms and clinical features.
In particular 25% of children with normal mental and
motor development and 35% of children with
developmental problems, may present an eating
difficulty.
A genetic predisposition facilitated by environmental
factors can lead to the true illness.
EA represent just a part of a wider discomfort that, today,
is evident not only in teenagers, but also in adults.
We really don’t know why in the last 20 years a large
diffusion of such a disorder has been happened.
Drugs, addiction, ED, depression (and suicides), bullyng,
delinquency(even murders) are the most frequent
behaviours.
We cannot produce a specific solution to each type of
discomfort and we must find a common strategy to
connect the whole world of young people.
The treatment of ED is based on medical
and psychological intervention.
We know that, at the beginning of the
illness, it is very difficult to convince a
person who suffers from ED, to realise that
he needs a help.
On the other hand, we also know that the
sooner we intervene the better is the
prognosis after the treatment.
Sometimes, in particular when a profound
depression and/or psychotic symptoms are
associated, a pharmachologycal therapy can be
useful.
In addition a nutritional approach must be done
that becames necessary when the Body Max
Index (BMI) is too low or too high (normal values
18-24)
Attention and prevention take back the responsability;
First of all the educational institutions (family and
school) must reflect on the opportunities to rebuilt its
educational skills
The families delegate too frequently the education of
their children to school.
School, on its own, is not often prepared to give
instruction and education toghether.
Which strategies can be used to approach these
complexes problems?
At the same time we cannot forget adults who
need often help and training either parents (or
future) or teachers, in dealing with ED.
We must know and we must live as we speak.
It is very important for young people to see that
you do what you say.