Just a Little Too Thin: How to Pull Your Child Back from the Brink of an Eating Disorder

Some diets are just that-a brief episode of calorie or fat counting; they are merely attempts to lose weight for the sake of a smaller skirt size. Other diets, however, are a prelude to the kind of problem with food that has nothing to do with shape or size but rather emotional issues which, left undetected, could bring a child to the brink of a serious eating disorder. The line between one and the other is sometimes hard to determine and many girls slip over that line quickly and quietly. Outlining the findings of Dr. Michael Strober's original research--that there are three distinct stages of eating disorders -- Just a Little Too Thin helps parents detect the severity of a child's weight issues and helps them steer her clear of--or maneuver herself off -- a slippery slope that could lead to Anorexia Nervosa. Offering expert guidance on how to talk about weight and eating in ways that won't alienate the child in question, it also provides parents with the tools to help them cope with the emotional issues that are feeding their child's obsession with their weight. No matter where a child rests on the continuum of eating behaviors, Just a Little Too Thin is an invaluable aid for parents intent on keeping their children emotionally and physically healthy in a world of unprecedented pressures.

Michael A. Strober, Ph.D., is the Director of both the Eating Disorders Program and Adolescent Mood Disorders Program at the Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA. Also the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, he lives in Los Angeles, California.

Meg Schneider, M.A., L.M.S.W., is a therapist who divides her time between a private practice and an outpatient mental health center in New York, where she specializes in treating adolescents and their families.