NEDA Navigator Guidebook
Not for public distribution. For exclusive use by official NEDA Navigators
Denial is a part of the disease. There are pathways to medical guardianship to take charge
of an adult. There is research to show that psychiatric-based programs have good results for
coerced patients. Acknowledge that these are difficult decisions to make. NEDA has a good
handout for this. Click here: What Should I say? or paste this link to your web browser:
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/WhatISay.pdf 6. Q: My family member has a missing criterion required for a diagnosis of either Anorexia
Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa. I’m told that they can’t have an ED if it’s not present. Is this
true? This “missing criterion” means they are suffering from EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not
Otherwise Specified). Insurance companies are beginning to come onboard with this as a
diagnosis. Although a frequent identifier for Anorexia is amenorrhea, it’s not a good criterion
and precludes the possibility of males having Anorexia. Many girls with Anorexia still
continue to menstruate. Insurance companies have been known to use this as a way out of
covering the care for an individual who is truly suffering from anorexia.
7. Q: How do I decide if and when I should pull my child out of school/college to get a higher
level of care other than outpatient?
These are some guidelines to use to help make this difficult decision:
• Consult the outpatient team and the school medical team. This is a clinically
sophisticated decision and care needs to be taken in making it.
• Determine what plan will give the best outcome. Remember, the first priority is
getting healthy.
• Get a 2nd opinion if you don’t feel the team is in agreement and you have a sense
that your child is in a seriously unhealthy condition.
• Ultimately, this is the parents’ decision.
Nutritional 1. Q: Should I fix special meals? Should I allow her to eat different meals than the rest of the
family? This can be a slippery slope. Hold the child accountable to the normal family routine around
meals. Kids can’t drive the whole show. The underlying theme here is parents’ desperation.
They need to acknowledge that treatment is needed. At some point it becomes
unsustainable to do otherwise. Work with the contact to see if the child is in need of help.
2. Q: Should I allow vegetarianism?
Often vegetarianism or veganism is the first way people cut back on their food intake. The
question that needs to be asked: Is this in the service of health or secretly to lose weight and
restrict food intake?
Treatment and Referral
1. Q: How do I find out about care centers?
Refer the contact to the Guide to Local Providers that you have developed. You can also
refer them to the NEDA Helpline or “Get Help Today” section of the NEDA website,
Frequently Asked Questions ▪ Page 5
©2012 National Eating Disorders Association. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction or other use of this outline without the express written consent of the National Eating Disorders
Association is prohibited.
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