Blog Post #4

     For this Blog, I decided to do some extensive research pertaining to eating disorders. I analyzed what it is defined as, the symptoms that are included with the disease, possible treatment options for those affected by eating disorders, and how teachers can help and guide students who suffer from eating disorders. Eating disorders are something in life that cannot be taken lightly. It is an area that requires great focus and effort so that we can help members of society who suffer from these disorders. Eating disorders worsen the eating habits of their victims, which can lead to a series of effects, including stomach pain, overeating, lacking appetite, and feeling embarrassed about eating practices. Luckily, treatments such as psychotherapy, and nutritional counseling, to name a few, exist for those in need of support (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). As future teachers, recognizing the nature of this disease and understanding the damage it can cause allows us to see the need for strategies to implement for students who suffer from this illness. A couple of strategies to incorporate include having patience in terms of memory and work completion and avoiding discussions that involve body image, as that can be taken the wrong way.  Overall, this was a very intriguing topic to research as it provided a lot of information on the illness itself and how to combat it.

Reference

Eating disorder strategies. Eating Disorder Strategies | Teach Special Education. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.teachspeced.ca/eating-disorder-strategies#:~:text=Develop%20a%20positive%20and%20warm%20rapport%20with%20the%20student.&text=Avoid%20making%20comments%20on%20body,be%20taken%20the%20wrong%20way.&text=Normalize%20healthy%20eating%20as%20it%20comes%20up%20in%20classroom%20discussions.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Eating disorders. National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders