Eating Disorders

Workbook Questions

 Case 1
A 15-year-old female presents with her mother, as she is concerned that her daughter is losing weight and is nauseous all the time. Over the last 6 months she has lost 6Kg and now weighs 49Kg and is 166cm tall.
 

1. Although you are suspicious of an eating disorder her mother is very concerned that there is an organic pathology. What other differentials would you need to consider and rule out?
   
2. What questions could you ask in your history to identify abnormal thinking about weight, body image, diet and exercise?
   
3. What would you be looking for specifically in her observations and on examination to suggest an eating disorder?
   
4. You feel she is high risk for an eating disorder and decide to do some blood tests, what tests would you perform and why?
   
5. What are the admission criteria for a medical admission to manage eating disorders?
   

 An ECG is taken as part of her work up and shown below :

1. Describe the ECG and what this will mean for her management
   
2. Her blood test returns and her potassium is 2.1, how will you manage this?
   
3. This young lady meets admission criteria for a medical admission but her mother decides she disagrees and wants to take her home, how would you manage this situation?