New figures released by the HSE show that there has been a rise in the number of children with eating disorders.
The Irish Examiner has reported that a total of 247 people had inpatient admissions in hospital last year due to either anorexia or bulimia.
Figures show there were 10 admissions with bulimia and 237 people were admitted with anorexia. Of these, 94% of them were female.
In 2o20, there were 121 anorexia hospital discharges for U16s. This number is up compared to the 104 hospitalisations in 2019.
Services
Elizabeth Barrett, a paediatric psychiatrist at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, has said there needs to be more funding for eating disorder treatment services.
“You know we ask young people to ask for help when they're struggling, but if your then on a long waiting list that's a very challenging situation,” Ms Barrett told Newstalk on Monday.
“We know that one in five psychiatry posts in the community are either vacant or filled on a temporary basis.
“So we really need, I think as a society, to think about that.”
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please reach out to your GP, a loved one or a support group.
Anyone affected by eating disorders can contact Bodywhys on (01) 210-7906.
