Balancing Eating Disorder Treatment with Your Child's Education
James Runyan, MS, LMFT, LCP, CEDSS, Executive Director at Hidden River.
When it comes to eating disorder treatment, many parents struggle with the timing. This choice can be particularly challenging if residential treatment is required for full recovery. Parents may recognize that their child needs professional help but feel conflicted about pulling them out of school. Fortunately, there are ways to continue your student’s education while also pursuing the treatment that best fits their needs.
With these thoughts in mind, let’s dive into the pros and cons of in-person schooling during eating disorder treatment.
When possible, in-person schooling during eating disorder treatment offers a number of benefits. It may contribute to a student’s overall wellness and even support their healing. Advantages include:
Structured Routine
Many individuals — adults included! — thrive with a structured routine. A daily schedule helps students maintain both stability and normalcy in their day-to-day lives, which can be beneficial to their recovery journey. A routine also encourages time management skills and discipline, both of which can help them during eating disorder treatment.
Support System
For many young people, their friendships play a key role in their happiness and wellbeing. In-person engagement with peers and teachers may boost their mood, improve their social skills, and promote a sense of belonging. Social interaction is particularly crucial for individuals struggling with an eating disorder, which is often experienced in isolation.
The school itself may contribute to a patient’s support system too. Schools typically provide special services for their students, like counseling, extracurricular activities, and more. Teachers and other staff members can work together with healthcare providers to create a safe space for students and address the emotional and academic challenges that accompany an eating disorder. Check out ANAD’s Educator Approach Guide series for helpful tips and resources.
Academic Success
Let’s be honest: For many students, it’s easier to stay engaged with their schoolwork in an in-person environment. Face-to-face interactions allow for clarification when needed and immediate feedback, not to mention group projects and one-on-one meetings with teachers.
However, there are also potential drawbacks of in-person schooling during eating disorder treatment.
For some students, it’s simply too much to meet their school requirements and focus on their treatment. Three cons of in-person schooling includes:
Distraction
During eating disorder treatment, the primary focus should always be on recovery. If the pressures of academic success, peer relationships, and/or extracurricular activities begin to interfere with this goal, it’s time to consider an alternative approach.
Limited Flexibility
As we mentioned above, in-person schooling involves a structured schedule, which may not allow for necessary absences due to ongoing treatment. The need to attend individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, meal support, and other components of treatment make it difficult to abide by traditional school hours.
With irregular attendance, a student’s learning experience is obviously interrupted. They may fall behind on their work or miss valuable lessons, both of which can cause added stress.
Stigma
A student suffering from an eating disorder may face stigma, judgment, or misunderstanding from their peers. If another student notices changes in appearances, attitude, or behaviors, they may say something to their peers or teachers, leading to unwanted attention and concern.
In an effort to change this landscape, the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) recently launched the ANAD School Ambassador Program (ASAP). This new initiative strives to empower students to raise awareness of eating disorders, available support, and educational resources to school communities across the country.
When it comes to balancing the need for eating disorder treatment with ongoing education, it’s important to take the approach that best supports your child’s recovery.
Thanks to the LearnWell and the school program at Hidden River, it is possible to seek residential eating disorder treatment and keep up with state-certified curriculum throughout the school year. For middle and high school students, we offer customized on-site educational programs. A state-certified LearnWell teacher provides two hours of in-person tutoring from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays and breaks. This teacher works closely with the student’s community school district and guidance counselor to obtain the student’s current assignments and schoolwork.
If the LearnWell teacher cannot access the student’s schoolwork, they will utilize LearnWell’s specialized online curriculum, ensuring that each student stays aligned with their grade-level curriculum. LearnWell teachers are adept at addressing the diverse needs that arise from eating disorders or co-occurring conditions while also accommodating treatment requirements.
For college-aged patients, Hidden River supports academic progress by providing one hour of study time each day. As the student’s overall health improves, the clinical programming may be adjusted to allow for additional evening study time if appropriate.
And don’t forget that ANAD has partnered with F.E.A.S.T. to provide weekly support groups for parents and caregivers. Learn more and register here.
Hidden River provides residential eating disorder treatment for girls and women ages 10 to 20 utilizing an expert, compassionate treatment team emphasizing family involvement. We offer a beautifully designed facility in a peaceful, natural environment conducive to recovery and healing. To learn more about Hidden River, please visit our website.