I teach at an alternative school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. One of my students is a 14 year old male. He has recently started refusing to eat. He does not eat lunch at school or dinner at home. He eats some fruit for breakfast at home in the morning. I talked to his mom yesterday. Apparently he got this idea from when we watched the movie Holes last week. Two characters ran away from the camp. They did not have food or water when they first ran away. The student's mom stated that he thinks you can live without eating and drink only water. The student told me that he is not hungry. He stated that if he does not feel hungry, then his body does not need to eat. Any suggestions on where I can find lesson plans about the importance of eating? Or any ideas of activities I can do with the class on eating disorders and the importance of food?
2007-04-20 03:04:32 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Special Education
not only does the student refuse to eat... he is one who has a history of doing things to get him a stay in the hospital for a few months...
2007-04-20 12:31:46 · update #1
he has some sort of a bone disease that effects his hips and bones in his legs. he's also bipolar.
2007-04-20 12:32:38 · update #2
we're an alternative school. we have social workers, other teachers, aids, and the principal all over any major changes in behavior. AND we document EVERYTHING!
2007-04-20 12:34:52 · update #3
Tell him if he does eat his head will shrink and it could affect his brain. This is true it happened to my grandfather and he later died
2007-04-20 08:20:55 · answer #1 · answered by Lynne D 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
For a week or two, this is not going ot hurt a healthy child, as long as there is some intake and water. But if this continues, he must be given counsel to eat. He may be just experimenting and will get hungry when his body is truly depleted of nourishment.
Now, disclaimer: fi the child is unhealthy - underweight already, chronic illness, a syndrome of some sort, it is a different matter.
Keep in touch with the parents. And talk to the school admin to alert them of this problem. Hope is is just a teenaged brief experiment. It could be that the lad is getting a snadwich from home after school that the mum doesn't know about.
2007-04-20 03:10:26 · answer #2 · answered by thisbrit 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't have an answer. I have a 16 year old exchange student from the Ukraine. At first, he said he eats anything. This is not the truth. Even when I spend extra money on things he claims to eat he still says he is not hungry. He is not willing to learn about healthy ways and nutrition, but claims to want to be a doctor. It is also hard not to be offensive about his eating habits. He has been with us for 6 months. Initially, he stated that he was getting fat. He looks like a bean pole and does not look fit at all. It is rude when someone works all day and comes home to prepare a meal and he puts the plate in the cabinet. I am really just done with this. We work hard for our money and trying to please this kid. He is obviously here for his own agenda and does not care. I will never host an exchange student again.
2016-02-14 13:53:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the idea of not eating truly came from the book, then maybe another class discussion of the book is in order--focusing on a couple of topics, one of which is the eating problem. The discussion could bring out how weak and depressed the boys were from lack of nourishment, and how their strength and outlook improved when they found even a substandard source of nourishment, etc. Good ideas will probably emerge from the discussion; it won't be just an authority figure prompting him to eat; and he might volunteer something that will give you further insight into his motives.
He may, of course, have a genuine eating disorder that needs medical/psychological help. I suppose only time will tell if that's the case.
2007-04-20 06:08:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
As long as he is drinking plenty of water, he will be ok for now. As far as heading it off before it goes any further, you may need to take a pretty pointed approach. I would include a discussion on how things we see in movies can't always happen in real life or have consequences the movie leaves out. Use some examples from movies with lots of fantasy or sci fi elements as a way to start the discussion. I would also include discussions on the importance of good nutrition and a healthy diet. For stories, look for books dealing with picky eaters (Gregory the Terrible Eater is one) or write your own social story that includes kids his age, maybe even his classmates. Finally, I would do some cooking projects in class, as a way to encourage him to take part in selecting and making foods he may find tempting. If the resistance goes past the two week mark, I would call in the school's psychologist or behaviorist to help out.
2007-04-20 08:35:22 · answer #5 · answered by Annie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Every school varies as to how much interaction teachers can have with Drs., but in the past I have asked mom/dad to take the child to the Dr. that handles his/her behavioral issues. I write a long detailed letter about the behavior. Often, it's a med. change or additional counseling that is needed. That has worked well for my students in the past. I find that parents feel like the Drs. are not listening to them when they go in and talk about a new problem in a child with multiple issues. They are always grateful for a detailed letter about what is going on at school...since it usually supports what they are describing at home. If I have any data sheets, I attach them as well.
2007-04-22 13:42:10 · answer #6 · answered by DuneFL 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You stated he is 14 (a time when hormones run wild) and bi-polar. Is he taking his medication? If so, his medication may need to be evaluated and possibly adjusted. You cannot force him to eat and turning it into an issue isn't going to help as he is the one with the power in this situation. I would make sure the things you can control (such as his medication) are on course first. Once you are sure that is the case you may consider a class or homework discussing general nutrition and the many misconceptions/myths about food. Hopefully you can gently guide him into seeing the light, but forcing him on it will just make him dig in more.
2007-04-21 13:04:53 · answer #7 · answered by Starshine 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you incredibly could difficulty with regard to the way you will convince your scientific expert extremely than your mom. I incredibly have a son who began as upload. He by no potential had to take his meds the two and ultimately stopped all at the same time. properly, right this moment he's a 32 365 days previous and his upload has replaced into borderline character illness. incredibly a frightening difficulty to have ! He has no activity. won't be able to hold one for greater effective than 2 months at a time. He owns not something apart from his motor vehicle and the clothing on his decrease back. does not even very own a suitcase. And, for the reason that he has constantly felt that he knew greater effective than the scientific expert and that his meds "made him sense strange" (as you do now), there is not one ingredient that i will do to make him seek for and stick to psychological well-being suggestion. My purpose is to not frighten you, yet upload is a precursor of Borderline character illness and likewise adolescent melancholy. i might strongly motivate you to fulfill returned alongside with your scientific expert, show your concerns, yet do not shelve the meds away. you have the full existence ahead of you and that is not your call to verify in case you have a "easy case", yet your scientific expert's. possibly he can replace your meds a sprint. sturdy success !
2016-10-13 00:56:54 · answer #8 · answered by lints 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he dosn't want to eat, don't let him, when he gets hungry enough he'll eat.
2007-04-20 03:09:10 · answer #9 · answered by Typewriter 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋