Entry by Karen A. Haber, MSN, RN, NJ-CSN
A seminar entitled "Eating Disorder Support for Your Students" was given by Kait Fortunato, RD, LD, CEDRD [email protected]. Kait serves at the Begin Within Center in Red Bank, NJ. Eating disorders are serious and can be life threatening with both physical and psychological complications that effect both males and females. Athletes and students, including college aged persons, are high risk populations.
Kait explained that the DSM V acknowledges eating disorders and "a trigger can bring it out." Eating disorders have a biological basis and co-occur with other mental health illnesses. They are not just about food; they can be coping mechanisms to manage stressors.
Kait reviewed the types of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and Orthorexia. The school nurses in attendance learned the importance of assisting their students to allow to their bodies to be regulated at their natural set point, rather than a determined weight. Mrs Fortunato said, "The body naturally sets the body's weight it needs to be".
Signs and symptoms of eating disorders include more than weight. They may also include hot flashes or sweating, gastric discomfort, cramping, constipation related to metabolic changes fromimproper nutrition. Eating disorder effects all body organs.
Kait spoke about the importance of having school nurses as part of the treatment/support team by: fostering school to be a safe, supportive place; providing ongoing assessments and interventions; being a liaison between students and families and professionals; providing compassion and education to many; modeling healthy behaviors and conversations; being a compassionate, educated educator; assist in updating school anti harassment & anti discrimination policies to include provisions about body appearance and shape; weigh students in private areas. School nurses can identify the red flags once they know the signals.
The National School Nurses Association was quoted, "School nurses are uniquely qualified to identify students with potential mental health problems. In addition, school nurses serve both within the school environment and in the community."
Resources
Academy of Eating Disorders aedweb.org
National Eating Disorders nationaleatingdisorders.org
Gurz Catalogue www.edcatalogue.com
A seminar entitled "Eating Disorder Support for Your Students" was given by Kait Fortunato, RD, LD, CEDRD [email protected]. Kait serves at the Begin Within Center in Red Bank, NJ. Eating disorders are serious and can be life threatening with both physical and psychological complications that effect both males and females. Athletes and students, including college aged persons, are high risk populations.
Kait explained that the DSM V acknowledges eating disorders and "a trigger can bring it out." Eating disorders have a biological basis and co-occur with other mental health illnesses. They are not just about food; they can be coping mechanisms to manage stressors.
Kait reviewed the types of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and Orthorexia. The school nurses in attendance learned the importance of assisting their students to allow to their bodies to be regulated at their natural set point, rather than a determined weight. Mrs Fortunato said, "The body naturally sets the body's weight it needs to be".
Signs and symptoms of eating disorders include more than weight. They may also include hot flashes or sweating, gastric discomfort, cramping, constipation related to metabolic changes fromimproper nutrition. Eating disorder effects all body organs.
Kait spoke about the importance of having school nurses as part of the treatment/support team by: fostering school to be a safe, supportive place; providing ongoing assessments and interventions; being a liaison between students and families and professionals; providing compassion and education to many; modeling healthy behaviors and conversations; being a compassionate, educated educator; assist in updating school anti harassment & anti discrimination policies to include provisions about body appearance and shape; weigh students in private areas. School nurses can identify the red flags once they know the signals.
The National School Nurses Association was quoted, "School nurses are uniquely qualified to identify students with potential mental health problems. In addition, school nurses serve both within the school environment and in the community."
Resources
Academy of Eating Disorders aedweb.org
National Eating Disorders nationaleatingdisorders.org
Gurz Catalogue www.edcatalogue.com