Abstract
The diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in childhood and adolescence demands specific knowledge of the particular features of symptomatology and approaches in this age group. The diagnostic criteria in the handbooks are only conditionally valid in young patients and their application must be adapted to the patient’s age. Clinically relevant atypical eating disorders have a prevalence similar to the classic forms of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. High rates of comorbidity exist, in particular with anxiety states and also depression. Monitoring of concomitant somatic symptoms is indispensable. Early detection and treatment improve prognosis. Treatment is multidisciplinary and multimodal. Transdiagnostic approaches take into account the high migration rate of eating disorder diagnoses. There is evidence for the efficacy of family-based therapy in adolescents with anorexia nervosa. In individual psychotherapy motivational treatment, and in bulimia nervosa cognitive behavioural therapy, are in the forefront. Fluoxetine has proved effective in the treatment of binge eating in bulimia nervosa.
Pauli, Dagmar