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‘The Parent’s Guide to
Childhood Eating Disorders’

[JULY 10, 2002]  "The Parent’s Guide to Childhood Eating Disorders." Marcia Herrin and Nancy Matsumoto, Henry Holt, 2002, 324 pages.

In the new book "The Parent’s Guide to Childhood Eating Disorders," Harvard Medical School Professor David Herzog writes, "It is estimated that more than six million women and perhaps over half a million men have a clinical eating disorder at some point in their lives. Increasingly it is the preteen, or even younger child, who first begins to struggle with food, exercise, and weight issues." It is this struggle and the ways that parents can combat this condition that is a central theme of this book.

Written by Dr. Marcia Herrin, a specialist in eating disorders, and writer Nancy Matsumoto, the book helps parents spot the early warning signs of eating disorders, develop a normal eating and exercise routine, understand the effect that school, friends, sports and college can have on eating habits, and know when to seek professional help.

 

"Identifying an Eating Disorder"

In this section the authors describe how to spot the early warning signs of an eating disorder. They also explain the difference between bad eating habits and the more complex behavioral problems sometimes associated with eating. They devote special attention to the most common (and serious) eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. A watchful eye is a key to preventing these disorders from taking over a child’s life. Strategies include building self-esteem, seeking help for depression, teaching healthier coping mechanisms and watching for early signs of changes in behavior.

One component in prevention is the role of the family. Aside from striving for a close, communicative parent-child relationship, parents should also eat together as a family as often as possible, allow the child some privacy and emphasize the positive effects of a stable father-child relationship.

The concluding chapter helps parents understand the medical consequences of an eating disorder.

"Taking Action"

There are several steps parents can take if they believe that their child has an eating disorder. Parents who approach their child about this subject can expect resistance, anger, denial or outright hostility. How do you broach such a sensitive subject with your child? The authors recommend that parents plan the conversation in advance, put yourself in your child’s shoes, avoid the blame game and most importantly, use words that work. It is important during this time that parents not fall into a "blame-game" trap.

There are many factors for parents to consider if they believe their child has an eating disorder. One common factor is genetics. According to the authors, some researchers feel that people can inherit a certain brain chemistry that makes them more prone to food problems. Another factor is the parent’s own attitude towards food and body image, an attitude that can have a profound effect on a child’s eating habits.

 

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Outside of their family, children can come under the influences of friends, school, camp or college. A discussion about weight and dieting in a close circle of friends is one example. Teasing at school is another example. It is essential that parents understand that dealing with a child’s disorder at home is quite different from "sending your child, eating problems and all, into the wider world of friends, school, camp, or college."

"Healthy Eating Guide"

One goal in helping a child with an eating disorder is to develop a habit of healthy eating and nutrition. The authors suggest a normalized eating regime based on a food plan that stabilizes the child’s intake of fat, calcium, protein and carbohydrates at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The plan even makes allowances for the inclusion of snacks and fun foods in the daily diet. Incorporating exercise into the daily routine is another component of healthy eating.

For those children who relapse into old habits, the authors provide "relapse training strategies" that identify high-risk situations such as facing dangerous foods, abandoning the food plan, mood swings, stress and perceived threats to one’s body image.

In the final chapter the authors discuss the measures that parents can take when they have done everything they can do and feel that a solution is beyond their reach. Some of the tips include determining the type of professional help your child needs, how to find and evaluate professionals, and when inpatient or residential care should be considered.

 

In the introduction to "The Parent’s Guide to Childhood Eating Disorders" Dr. Herzog writes that this book is a "welcome addition to the library of the clinician working in the field of eating disorders and is an invaluable guide for the parent eager to learn how to battle often frightening eating-disordered attitudes and behaviors."

The book’s appendices contain information on diagnosing eating disorders, body weight assessments, support groups, residential/hospital programs and lists for further reading. Anyone who suspects that a child is suffering from some type of eating disorder should make this book one of the first sources of information consulted on this subject.

[Richard Sumrall, Lincoln Public Library District]




Ticket office open for ‘Dearly Departed’

[JULY 1, 2002]  It would be hard to imagine a goofier or funnier set of individuals than the members of a Southern family named the Turpins. Despite the family’s earnest efforts to pull themselves together for their father’s funeral, other problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion. Amidst the chaos, the Turpins turn for comfort to their friends and neighbors — an eccentric community of misfits who just manage to pull together and help each other through their hours of need, and finally, the funeral.

D. Ann Jones of Clinton, director for Lincoln Community Theatre’s July 12-20 production of "Dearly Departed," has announced the play’s cast. Lincoln residents appearing on stage will be Bob Wood as both Bud and Norval, Gail King as Raynelle, Kelly Dowling as Lucille, Eric Agostino as Junior, Cindy McLaughlin as Suzanne, Kay Mullins as Marguerite, Alison Kessinger as Delightful, Allen King as Reverend Hooker, Amanda Perry as Nadine, Melanie Goodgin as Veda and Heather Ferguson as Juanita. Other cast members from the area include Chuck McCue of Mount Pulaski as Ray-Bud, David Mankey of Clinton as Royce and Larry Jones of Hartsburg as Clyde.

Also helping in the production of the comedy are Jennifer Hieronymus of Clinton as director’s assistant and Jerry Dellinger of Lincoln as technical director and lighting director.

 

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The box office opens Monday, July 1, for season ticket holders to make reservations. General admission sales will be available beginning July 6. Ticket prices are $9 for adults and $6 for students through eighth grade. The box office, located in Johnston Center for the Performing Arts on the Lincoln College campus, is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

For further information call (217) 735-2614 or go to the LCT website: http://www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre.

[Judy Rader, LCT publicity chairman]


Movie classics

Logan County Arts Association upcoming films

All upcoming monthly features in the Logan County Arts Association series of classic films will start at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Cinemas, 215 S. Kickapoo.

Thursday, July 11

"Top Hat" (1935)

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers

Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace’s hotel, much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.

Thursday, Aug. 8

John Ford’s "Fort Apache" (1948)

John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen

In John Ford’s somber exploration of "Custer’s last stand" and the mythologizing of American heroes, he slowly reveals the character of Owen Thursday, who sees his new posting to the desolate Fort Apache as a chance to claim the military honor which he believes is rightfully his. Arrogant, obsessed with military form and ultimately self-destructive, Thursday attempts to destroy the Indian warrior Cochise after luring him across the border from Mexico.

Thursday, Sept. 12

"Breakfast at Tiffany’s" (1961)

Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Buddy Ebsen, Patricia Neal

Based on Truman Capote’s novel, this is the story of a young jet-setting woman in New York City who meets a young man when he moves into her apartment building.

 

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Thursday, Oct. 10

Horror/sci-fi double feature

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1931)

Frederic March, Miriam Hopkins

Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men: a good and an evil side. He faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run wild with a potion that changes him into the animalistic Mr. Hyde.

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951)

Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe

An alien (Klaatu) with his mighty robot (Gort) lands their spacecraft on cold-war Earth just after the end of World War II. He tells the people of Earth that we must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Tickets will be available at Serendipity Stitches, 129 S. Kickapoo; the Lincoln Public Library Annex; at the door; or by calling (217) 732-4298. Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2.50 for children 13 and under. These features are one show only, with limited seating.

[Logan County Arts Association ]


Lincoln Community Theatre information

Lincoln Community Theatre’s box office, phone 735-2614,  is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday for the summer season. The office is located in the lobby of the Johnston Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Lincoln College.

Performances of "Dearly Departed" are scheduled for July 12-20, and "The King and I" will be presented Aug. 2-10. Show times are 2 p.m. on Sundays and 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656; e-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.

Visit the LDC website at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html. Pictures from past productions are included.

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