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Learning about Children's Mental Health through Film
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        • Mental Health Conditions

        • AnxietyAnxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health problems identified in children. Estimates of the rates of prevalence vary greatly from 8% to 27% lifetime prevalence by age 18. Chronic anxiety disorders are associated with increased risk of other serious mental health problems in later life. Therefore, early identification and treatment is key. Watch our information and real life experience films below or view and download our fact sheet and supporting presentation.
        • Depression
        • OCD
        • PTSD
        • Eating Disorders
        • Why is my child self-harming?
        • TraumaTrauma in children may be: A one-off experience, such as a car crash Living in an atmosphere that feels unsafe, or where they are witness to violence Experiencing, or witnessing, harm Experiences of war, or of becoming a refugee Stressful and challenging experiences are a part of life, and most children will experience these at some point. This becomes traumatic if the event is more than a child can make sense of, or cope with. To learn more about Trauma in Children, please refer to our informational and real-life experiences videos.
        • Body dysmorphic disorder

        • Neurodivergent Conditions

        • ADHD
        • Autism
        • Conduct Disorders/ODD
        • DyslexiaDyslexia in children is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting language processing, particularly in reading, spelling, and writing. It emerges early in childhood and persists into adulthood. Encourage your child’s strengths and provide a patient, nurturing environment. Remember, dyslexia doesn’t define intelligence. With the right resources like ours below, your child can flourish and excel in their own unique way.

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        • UK Trauma Council ResourcesNip in the Bud is very grateful to the UK Trauma Council for permitting us to show on our website their series of four excellent animation films about Trauma and PTSD. The UK Trauma Council’s work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. These animations have been produced with the involvement of young people themselves, and are designed to help young people and the adults around them recognise the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. They also suggest ways of coping with scary memories, explain the science around the best treatments, and answer any worries you might have about getting support.

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  • Films for Teachers / ProfessionalsThis is the Nip in the Bud Films for Teachers / Professionals post type

        • Mental Health Conditions

        • AnxietyIt is becoming increasingly common that children and young people in your school or classroom may be diagnosed with anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety in children vary, but it’s important that you are able to understand and recognise how this might affect learning in a classroom environment. It’s normal for everyone to feel anxious from time to time – it’s a normal response to stress. However, some young people may experience uncontrollable levels of anxiety that are excessive in relation to what’s happening around them –can therefore struggle with their day-to-day tasks and schoolwork. Common worries can become overwhelming for children and young people with anxiety leading to them becoming quite distressed. If this does happen there are a few ways in which you can respond to try and calm the situation. Some signs and symptoms to look out for include tears when entering school, being withdrawn from their peers, concentration difficulties, fidgeting, changes in appetite, and irritability. Download our factsheet for more information on what to look for if you suspect a child or young person in your class is suffering from anxiety. Getting the conversation going can be a good starting point – for example, planning lessons themed around…
        • DepressionDepression is a common yet serious mood disorder that involves a persistence of deep sadness, hopelessness, and numbness. Someone experiencing depressing may feel a constant melancholy that prevents them from enjoying their everyday life. Children and young people especially can feel alone and misunderstood which often stops them from expressing how they feel to people close to them. This isolation can lead to suicidal feelings, self-harm and, in a worst-case scenario, suicide. Parents and teachers are often the first to identify the symptoms of depression in children and young people. Some key symptoms of depression include excessive and persistent worry, moodiness, over or undereating, and self-harm. Some symptoms manifest in physical ways that are a little easier to spot as a teacher during school time such as frequent aches and pains, not wanting to play, either complete isolation or clinginess, and uncharacteristic irritability and anger. There are many risk factors at school that can lead a child to develop depression. As a teacher, you should be on the lookout for children experiencing bullying, social isolation, a lack of self-confidence, and an inability to keep up with schoolwork, among other factors. Children particularly vulnerable to depression are ones who experience abuse,…
        • OCDObsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that involves repetitive, intrusive, and impulsive thoughts and images entering the mind, causing intense anxiety. As a result of this anxiety, the child or young person engages in compulsive or repetitive behaviours designed to ease their anxiety. They then obsessively repeat these behaviours to rid themselves of the anxiety, causing detriment to their daily life. Early signs of OCD can include excessive worrying and feeling a strong sense of responsibility over yourself and others. A child or young person will ask for constant reassurance about whether their homework is correct or whether they are doing something right or being a good student as they no longer trust their own judgement. As a teacher, these are early signs you can look out for which can inform how you approach the child going forward. Stress at school and bullying are key factors which exacerbate the development of OCD – the more overwhelmed a child feels, the more they give into their compulsive, repetitive behaviours to ease their anxiety. As a teacher, it is your duty to make sure the classroom is a safe space for all, keeping an eye on students who seem…
        • PTSDPTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder can be triggered in children and young people when they experience a particularly horrifying or scarring event. The cause can be as varied as a car crash or sexual assault. A child can develop PTSD if they are involved in this event, witnessed it, or even heard about it second-hand. It can be difficult to identify PTSD in children and young people, as they are reluctant to talk about the trauma they experienced as a way to protect themselves. However, there are some tell-tale signs of PTSD that you can look out for in your students. Children with PTSD will often have trouble concentrating and may even fall asleep during school time due to the lack of sleep they’re having at home, making learning much harder. A sudden plummet in grades is also a red flag – in such cases, it is important to check up on the student rather than reprimand them, which can cause further harm. PTSD also causes many children or young people to become highly irritable and angry due to the intense emotions they’re experiencing, often making them see other people as a threat. In this case, it is important to…
        • Eating DisordersAn eating disorder develops when a child’s and young person’s emotional well-being gets tangled up with their eating habits – for example, if their self-esteem is dependent on how much they eat or don’t eat. Eating disorders are most common in teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17 and they can manifest in a multitude of ways. Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness where a person has an intense fear of gaining weight, often accompanied by body dysmorphia – a distorted view of one’s body. This fear leads them to eat very little or nothing at all, leading to severe and potentially life-threatening weight loss. Bulimia nervosa is a serious mental illness that stems from being shamed about consuming large amounts of food, and your weight. A person will binge eat as much food as they can in a short space of time – this is often out of their control. They will then purge – making themselves throw up all the food they have eaten to avoid putting on weight from the binge. This leads to severe and potentially life-threatening weight loss. Binge eating is a serious mental illness which, similarly to Bulimia, involves consuming large amounts…
        • Self-harm in the ClassroomSelf-harm in children and young people happens when a person experiences an overwhelming flood of emotions such as guilt, shame, anger, hate, and a lack of control. This leads them to inflict deliberate harm upon themselves as a way to relieve the flood of emotions they are experiencing and punish themselves for feeling them in the first place. This can take the form of cutting themselves with sharp objects, over-eating or under-eating, pulling their hair out, burning themselves, and misusing intoxicants such as alcohol and drugs. Distress and overwhelming emotions often manifest during school time, and as a teacher it is important to have an awareness that school can be a trigger for students struggling with self-harming tendencies. Create a safe and open space for all students by letting your students know you are always here to support and hear them out whenever they need it. Common signs of self-harm include cuts, burns, and hair-pulling – these are easier to spot as they are often visible on the student’s body. However, young people can be very good at hiding their scars under long jumpers and trousers. If a student is adamant about keeping their jumper on even during hot temperatures,…
        • TraumaIf a child in your care is suffering with Trauma, they will be very distressed. This may be obvious, or it may show up in the form of physical ailments such as headaches or vomiting. They may show signs of regression in toileting or feeding, struggle with their schoolwork or find it difficult to concentrate. Watch our Informational film on Trauma and Children with Dr Sian Williams and Dr David Trickey to understand how children react to Trauma and how they can be helped.
        • Body dysmorphic disorder

        • Neurodivergent Conditions

        • ADHDADHD, or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, presents itself in many ways which can sometimes make it difficult for teachers to spot the signs. It is characterised by difficulties in the areas of attention, level of activity and impulse control. ADHD is a recognised developmental disorder which can affect many areas of a child’s life – including in a learning environment. It is common for ADHD to be misdiagnosed in girls, as the symptoms of ADHD present differently to that of boys, and aren’t as commonly shared. One of the most important things you can do as a teacher for a student with ADHD is to learn and understand how they are feeling, and how they see the world around them. Sometimes for students with ADHD it may feel like nobody understands them. In this video, we go through our tips for teachers who have a child in their class who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Also, view our Practical Tips for Teachers in the Classroom below .
        • Autism
        • Conduct Disorders/ODDODD, or oppositional defiant disorder, is diagnosed in children and young people that are persistently and repetitively antisocial, disobedient, have frequent tantrums, can not listen to authority, and purposely harm others. Conduct disorders are the most common disorders in children and are more frequent in boys, with 7% of boys and 3% of girls meeting the criteria for conduct disorders. It is normal for children and young people to be defiant towards authority to some degree, but if a particular student stands out from the others in your class and is perpetually defiant, violent and resentful towards others, this can develop into ODD. A child or young person with ODD will often engage in a range of violent and destructive behaviours such as fighting, temper tantrums, arguing with adults and peers, and lying and blaming others for their behaviour. In some extreme cases, the child or young person may engage in being cruel to animals and starting fires. As a teacher, it can be difficult to know how to handle a student with ODD in a way that ensures they make the most of their learning and helps their behaviours and social relationships. However, there are things you can do…
        • DyslexiaChildren with Dyslexia have a different intelligence, way of thinking and way of seeing the world.  Many innovators, inventors and successful entrepreneurs have been Dyslexic.  Dyslexic thinking skills include imagination, inspiration, creativity and the ability to solve things. They sometimes find it difficult to fit into rigorous, inflexible education methods. Our resources for teachers and professionals on Dyslexia explain that if the condition is spotted early, there are strategies that can be used to work on the strengths of Dyslexic children which will allow them to develop different talents and thrive in life.

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        • Early Intervention SeriesThis Early Intervention series of short episodes produced by Nip in the Bud are a guide to how schools can help parents if they notice changes in behaviour or in emotional wellbeing in a child and how parents and teaching staff can work together to address potential children’s mental health conditions.
        • Training Resource
        • UK Trauma Council ResourcesNip in the Bud has been given permission by the UK Trauma Council to share this series of four short animations which they have produced on the topic of Trauma and PTSD. The UK Trauma Council’s work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. These animations have been produced with the involvement of young people themselves, and are designed to help young people and the adults around them recognise the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. They also suggest ways of coping with scary memories, explain the science around the best treatments, and answer any worries you might have about getting support.

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Fact Sheets / Understanding Eating Disorders in Children

Understanding Eating Disorders in Children

Fussy Eating vs Eating Disorders

A ‘fussy’ eating stage can be a normal part of children’s development. They may not like the taste, shape, colour or texture of particular foods. They may like something one day but dislike it the next. They may refuse to eat vegetables or to try new foods.

It’s a way of exploring their environment and asserting their independence, and their appetites can go up and down depending on how much they’re growing and how active they are.

So, what are eating disorders?

Eating disorders are not just about food. They are serious, complex mental illnesses affecting people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds.

Eating disorders can cause serious harm both physically and emotionally, and they have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

Statistically, eating disorders affect more females than males and early signs can begin when a child is 8 years old or younger. Since lockdown, the number of children with eating disorders and other mental health issues has risen dramatically.

Eating disorders can take over a child’s life and can have immense impact on home life, school and social life whilst also impacting the lives of the entire family. Children can make a full and lasting recovery from an eating disorder with the right help and support. Early diagnosis, intervention, and treatment is critical.

What causes eating disorders?

There is a complex range of factors, including genetics, biology, psychology and surroundings. Eating disorders can be a way of coping with feelings or situations that are making the child unhappy, angry, depressed, stressed, or anxious. They may also be coupled with specific anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Food becomes a problem when it is used to help cope with painful situations or feelings, or to relieve stress, perhaps without even realising it. An eating disorder is often symptomatic and suggests there is an underlying issue that needs to be identified, understood and treated.

What are the first signs?

The most obvious sign of a problem is weight loss but changes to physical appearance may not be apparent right away. In fact, many children with eating disorders look perfectly healthy.

Some general signs that may be associated with all eating disorders include:

  • Low self-esteem
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Tiredness
  • Feeling cold
  • Poor concentration
  • Social withdrawal
  • Delay in sexual development
  • Feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety
  • Obsession with their appearance
  • Wearing baggy clothes to hide their body
  • Preoccupation with and/or secretive behaviour around food
  • Self-consciousness when eating in front of others

Other signs may include:

  • Cutting out lunch at school
  • Saying they’ve already eaten, they’re not hungry
  • Hiding food
  • Food missing from fridge
  • Being more secretive
  • Wanting to be alone
  • Going to the toilet immediately after meals
  • Making themselves sick
  • Self-harm
  • Obsessive exercising
  • Losing monthly menstruation cycle

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia nervosa

Children with anorexia tend to have a distorted view of their bodies. They have an intense fear of weight gain and deliberately eat very little. First signs might be increased rigidity around eating, being much more selective about the types of foods or the times of day of eating, starting to lay down rules about what they can and cannot eat. These increased rigidity and restricted eating practices don’t start to look like weight loss until further down the line.

ARFID – Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

This is an umbrella term to describe clinically significant food avoidance where, unlike anorexia, concern about weight and shape is not a factor; instead ARFID might be for reasons such as sensitivity to taste or texture, a response to a distressing experience with food e.g., choking or a lack of interest in eating.

Bulimia nervosa

It’s quite common for children to find it difficult to stop eating in the presence of e.g., party food. With bulimia nervosa this starts to become shameful behaviour. So, if a child at a party or at a buffet has had a lot of cake, you might then start to see that their eating of the cake becomes more secretive. In more serious cases, the child feels a need to get rid of the cake – for example, by vomiting.

A certain level of maturity is needed before children start to experience social emotions such as shame and guilt, but teasing about weight and self-consciousness about being overweight can start young and be a risk factor for disordered eating behaviour. In some cases, being weighed and measured in school is also thought to contribute to this.

Binge-eating

Unlike Bulimia, Binge-eating does not involve purging. There is a sense of loss of control: eating faster than others, eating until uncomfortably full, and eating lots of food when not hungry. Food may offer feelings of calm or comfort or reduce levels of stress.  But a binge can also have the opposite effect, causing anxiety, guilt, and distress.

OSFED – Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders

There is often overlap between different types of eating disorders. If the child’s symptoms don’t exactly match the symptoms for Anorexia, Bulimia or Binge-eating, then they may be diagnosed with Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders.

When should parent, carer or teacher get help?

Seek help as early as possible. The earlier a child gets help, the more likely they are to recover successfully. Talk to your child, ask them if they’re OK and if there’s anything they want to talk about.  Of course, they may not want or feel able to talk to you about it; they may be in denial or simply not see it as a problem. In any case, let them know that you are there to help.

Where to get help with eating disorders?

Start by contacting your GP.  Or speak to the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child’s school. It can be helpful to make notes about your main concerns before the appointment. Your child may well be in denial, and it will help if your concerns are clear and specific. Your child can then be assessed and may then be referred for specialist help.

What are the main treatments for eating disorders?

There are various forms of treatment, depending on the types of eating disorder and the child’s symptoms. Family therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), personalised eating plans, out-patient supervision. In extreme cases, if a child has lost a dangerous amount of weight or if other treatments don’t seem to be effective, the child may be treated in hospital or in a special unit for children and young people.

NB Currently, there may be a long waiting list for specialist help in some areas of the country. You should not let this deter you from seeking help.

What can parents and other family members do to help?

It’s important that the whole family understands the situation and that they too have support.

The following organisations offer advice online:

Anorexia and Bulimia Care: advice for family and friends

Beat: supporting someone

Family Lives: eating disorder help

Young Minds: help for parents

You can also ask your GP about support groups for parents caring for someone with an eating disorder.

Books about eating disorders

‘Anorexia and Other Eating Disorders: how to help your child eat well and be well’ by Eva Musby.

APRICA 2021

See Eva Musby’s website for further resources, help sheets, videos, audios, etc.

www.anorexiafamily.com

‘Boys Get Anorexia Too: coping with male eating disorders in the family’ by Jenny Langley

Paul Chapman Publishing

See Jenny Langley’s website for further resources including case studies and top tips for parents and carers.

www.boyanorexia.com

‘Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder: The New Maudsley Skills-Based Training Manual’ by Jenny Langley, Janet Treasure, et al

Routledge 2018

‘How to Help Someone with an Eating Disorder: A Practical Handbook’ by Dr Pamela Macdonald

Welbeck Balance 2021

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