Underweight step daughter

[hammerman]

My 15 year old step daughter is beginning to worry my wife and myself. She hardly ever eats and when she does, it'll be a bowl of pasta or a bowl of cereal.

She's stick thin, looks very pale and is always tired. She's never had a big appetite but this is starting to worry us. She has also said that recently, she's lost a stone in weight without dieting.

She refuses to go to the doctor so we are at our wits end. She's recently started picking up more bugs and infections because she doesn't seem to have the immunity to fight it.

What would you suggest ?

[Loopylou22]

This is a difficult one that many parents have to go through with their children (daughters especially)

Does she have a happy school life? she isnt bullied or anything? does she have a boyfriend? does she ever tell you she feels fat? does she wear baggy clothes to hide herself? sorry for all the questions but this is the best way to desipher exactly what is wrong.

[bloaterbum]

hate to say it but Ilives with anorexic girlfriend for 3 years Try talking to her and don't expectr too much co-operation at first.I followed my girl every where and never caught her vomitting but Ican assure you she did it .

[buffbex]

difficult one, course it could be a medical condition, and a trip to the doctors would certainly be a good idea- though getting her there may be far from easy! i was anorexic for 7 years, and she sounds a bit like me, you dont have to complain about feling or being fat, i know i never did. i think it is often more about control, and perhaps underlying depression, even if she seems outwardly happy. let her know you love her support her and are concerned about her- she probably really needs to hear it, even though she wont admit it. good luck.

[hammerman]

Thanks for your answers.

Loopylou....she's very happy at school, very popular and has a really nice group of friends who regularly sleep in our conservatory.
She has a casual boyfriend but nothing serious and she never tells us she feels fat or wears baggy clothes.....everything is normal except for her lack of appetite.

When we manage to get her on the subject of her eating, she just get's stroppy and says she's ok. She's just told me she's 8 stone and 5' 6" tall....but she looks like a stick insect !!!!!!

[Jennykins]

Hi hammerman, as your already know it can be many things going on with your daughter. sick, eating issue, and so on.. I dont mean to sound to serious tho.. but have you considered drug use? My step sister has become a Meth user. She is only 15 and has lost any weight she had very fast, she also looks pale and un-healthy. This is something you always must consider and not over look, It also may be the reason why she wont go to the Dr. Good luck hammerman, I hope its nothing but hormones.

Jen xx

[jimmy654]

To Jennykins, sorry to hear about your sister meth is very damaaging. Is she getting treatment? Their are lots of options out there.
http://www.myaddiction.com/categories/meth_tre atment.html