is my Little Sister Anorexic?

Question

she's 6 years old. i'm 5'6 and her total height comes up to my stomach. she still have to sit in a car seat because she weighs 37 pounds. that's what my mom told me. she barely eats and is always playing. she doesn't like to eat much. just junk food.
and you can see her bones and veins through her torso. it looks disgusting. so is she anorexic or is she just skinny or what?

okay. she's not anorexic but is she underweight? is this unhealthy?
thank you for answering.

Answer 1

There have been reported cases of anorexia hitting girls as young as 5 or 6, so it is possible.

I would suggest to your mother that she might want to take her to the doctor for a check-up to make sure that she's not too underweight. The doctor can then recommend meal plans or specialists that your sister might need to go to if she does show signs of anorexia.

You're a good brother. I hope she realizes how much you care for her well-being.

Answer 2

37 pounds is extremely low for a child that age and especially for a child that height.

tell mom to take her to the doctor- there are a variety of reasons that may explain why she's not eating- maybe she has severe food allergies or a problem with digestion. Maybe she has hyperthyroidism (when your metabolism is way too fast). maybe she has some rare condition. or maybe she's just not getting enough nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamin C- she eats ONLY junk food you say?

Something needs to be done soon.

I wish you luck.

ps)
If she had an eating disorder, she would complain all the time about how fat she was and you would have trouble getting her to eat ANYTHING.

Answer 3

She's probably just skinny. Anorexia usually starts in preteens, so a kindergartner is much too young to have it. Most kids that are little aren't even self-consciencious yet. A lot of kids are super thin when they are little because they burn so many calories when they are hyper. I wouldn't worry about it, especially if she likes junk food. An anorexic person doesn't eat much, but would eat like, half a stick of celery, not a happy meal.

Answer 4

If she hasn't been seen by a doctor, she needs to be taken in for an exam! Does she ever mention her body, whether she feels skinny, feels fat, wants to be skinny. Does she talk about other kids or adults being fat or skinny? Does she seem to be concerned about body image?

Some kids are picky eaters. Some are naturally very thin. Then again, some children these days are getting introduced to eating disorders and younger ages.

She could have a serious medical condition, not necassarily an eating disorder.

I would DEFINITELY suggest you talk to your Mom or Dad about your concerns.

The doc will hopefully find everything to be ok. But, it's important to know for sure.

Good luck to you and your family..... :)

Answer 5

Its extremely rare for six year olds to have an eating disorder, but it DOES happen. Your sister is definitely underweight and should be taken to a doctor. He or she can decide whether your sister has an eating disorder or if its just her eating patterns, but, either way, he or she can help her to eat healthily and gain some weight.

Its very important that your sister see a doctor soon because, at her age, she is learning her eating habits and, right now, is not learning healthy ones!

Answer 6

She most likely just has a really high metabolism. I weighed less than that when I was her age. Anorexia really has more to do with one's state of mind while they are starving themselves. I highly doubt that a 6 year old can be anorexic. Hope this helps!

Answer 7

she's not an anorexic (she's just 6 yrs old), so maybe she's having eating difficulty, well, she's too skinny and too light for a 6 years old child, cos my 2 years old cousin is around 30 pounds...must see a pediatrics and consult haw to gain more weigh....

Answer 8

this can be common in children. if they have a very active imagination, then they neglect food. children don't know the importance of nutrition so it is necessary to explain to her that her body can't do the things she wants it to do or be able to play as long and hard if she doesn't eat enough or the right foods. tell her it is like gasoline to a car. you must fill the tank to run the motor.

Answer 9

At her age,MOST kids don't know enough to have an eating disorder. She's probably just an active kid. My brother was like that and I was like that - until puberty hit and screwed me.

Take your lil sis for ice cream once in a while as a treat. =)

Answer 10

Hmmm, i don't know. My husband's little bro is like that, maybe not that bad. He is a picky eater and likes junk food and is extremely thin. i don't know why they do that. hope fully grow out of it.