Anorexia is an eating disorder in which the person who has it refuses to eat. Whether it is associated with weight, looks, or mental issues, it has been a growing problem. 80% of 11 to 14 year old girls worry about how their body looks. In 2 years, the number of children admitted to hospitals with eating disorders under the age of 10 doubled. Younger and younger children are developing serious eating disorders.

Ellen was a very happy, athletic child. No one would have ever expected her to develop anorexia.
“I wanted to lose weight, I just stopped eating.”
When asked why she became anorexic, she said she didn’t know. It just happened overnight.
“I didn’t even know what anorexia was until my mom showed me on the internet and everything an anorexic would be doing, I was doing it.”
Ellen had started out by just eating smaller amounts. This progressed into giving up junk food, then food altogether. Her family realized it was becoming a serious problem in just one week. They had her admitted to a pediatric ward. Once admitted, she stopped eating completely and wouldn’t even drink water. She went two weeks without any food or water. She had to be force-fed by IV and in an effort to restrict the glucose from entering her body, she wrapped the tube around her hand.
She had lost nearly ¼ her body weight. Her family realized the pediatric ward wasn’t helping and brought her back home. Doctors said her organs were shutting down and that she might not make it. Once home, Ellen agreed to eat a small amount of food if she could perform certain exercises. After eating a mere 175 calories she would walk up and down the stairs nonstop for hours.
One day, her family realized she needed help. They brought her to Rhodes Farm Clinic, a specialized eating disorders unit. The clinic fed her, checked her weight, and tried to discover why she became anorexic.
The clinic had a strict routine. At 7:00 AM, the girls would wake up and have to be ready for breakfast at 8:00 AM. After breakfast, school started at 9:00 AM and lasted until 3:30 PM. After school, they engaged in recreational activities like singing or dancing. Ellen had to have 2,400 calories a day, 50% more calories than the average 8-year-old girl. Everything on the plate had to be finished and there was no way to escape food.
After 12 weeks, Ellen reached her goal weight and was allowed to go home to her family. Her mother was given a calorie book so that she could monitor Ellen’s calorie intake and make sure she got enough to eat. Though Ellen appeared to be recovered, she is still subject to going back to starvation. The unit didn’t believe the anorexia was gone completely and that it might present challenges here and there even after she had completed the clinic. Ellen would have to remain strong.