We celebrated N's 12th birthday this week. I think the past year of N's life has been the longest ever for me. N was 11 years and 2 months when we first exhibited signs of anorexia. I am amazed with how far he fell in 4 months and then how far we've come in the 6 months since his low point. At the same time, I am keenly aware of the long road we still have to travel.
He ate his birthday (ice-cream) cake, but did balk at the proportions. I insisted that he "had" to eat it and then it wasn't an issue after that. He choose crab cakes, red potatoes with garlic, butter and dill, fruit salad and izzy soda for dinner. Using money he had "earned" over the past few months as well as money from allowance, babysitting, and grandparents, he purchased a wii on his birthday. I like that it is more interactive than typical video games (which have served as a good "distraction" as N has recovered from the anorexia). I think N likes that he is moving/exercising as he plays.
I've been worried a little bit about N exercising lately. We've not allowed him to exercise at all outside of school and scout activities. He is still clamoring to play competitive sports. At first he wanted to play soccer, now it is lacrosse. We've agreed to sign him up for recreational soccer this fall (it's low key, 1 hour of practice and 1 hour of a game each week). Beyond that, I'm seeing him attempt to add exercise back into his life, not sneakily, but not up-front either. While on vacation, he would always take the stairs instead of the elevator. I know that using the stairs is not a huge calorie burner, but it's the thoughts behind it that worry me. Also, our neighbor let us know that she saw N "jogging" off course as he walked home from church on Sunday.
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My thoughts as our family battles anorexia with our 11-year old son.
Our Story
Our 11-year old son dropped 20 pounds in just two months. That was the beginning of an unexpected, difficult and emotional journey for our family. At the four month mark he stopped losing weight -- but continues his obsession with food and body image.
Updated Summary.
Updated Summary.
Charlotte's Helix
Current Height & Weight
Weight prior to anorexia: 104 pounds
Low Weight: 76.5 lbs
(November 11, 2007)
Low Weight: 76.5 lbs
(November 11, 2007)
If you are the parent or care-giver of a child with anorexia, I'd be happy to answer any questions. You can contact me at nourishingmyson (at) gmail (dot) com.
2 comments:
Happy Birthday to your son! My daughter turns 11 next month and I feel the same way...what a long year. We are both glad it is almost over. She keeps telling me, "10 is horrible, 11 will be great." I hope she is right. My d has also started asking to go biking a lot after school -- in part because it stays lighter outside, and in part, I fear, to burn off some calories.
Erica - I think you're right about the biking. I want N to go and play and have fun. So how do you balance "normal" childhood exercise with intentional calorie burning?
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