Dr. Batterman specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults who are suffering from eating disorders. She has provided specialized evaluation and treatment for patients and their families and has worked to help her patients diminish the influence of the eating disorder and reclaim their lives.
Eating disorders are characterized by persistent patterns of dysfunctional and unusual eating and dieting behavior. These disorders can affect both males and females and can strike children, adolescents, and adults. People suffering from these disorders are often extremely distressed and struggle with feelings of shame and hopelessness regarding their symptoms. Many suffer from significant emotional, physical, and interpersonal distress and find that the eating disorder affects nearly every aspect of their life. Change is often seen as very frightening.
A comprehensive evaluation performed by a specialist in eating disorder treatment is necessary to help diagnose those suffering from a specific eating disorder. Early detection and intervention are critical and those who receive early help often have the most positive outcomes.
- Anorexia Nervosa: Individuals with anorexia nervosa are unable or unwilling to maintain a body weight that is expected for their age, height, and body type. These individuals usually display a pronounced fear of weight gain and are often terrified of becoming fat even though they are markedly underweight. People with this disorder have significant concerns about their weight and often base their entire self-concept on their own evaluation of their weight.
- Bulimia Nervosa: Individuals with bulimia nervosa regularly engage in episodes of significant overeating, which are followed by attempts to compensate for the overeating and avoid weight gain. Binge eating is followed by attempts to “undo” the consequences of eating through purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. These individuals have profound concerns about weight and shape and often base their self-worth on their perceptions of their body image.
- Binge Eating Disorder: Individuals who suffer from binge eating disorder have periods of overeating. Unlike those with bulimia, these individuals do not regularly use inappropriate compensatory weight control behaviors such as fasting or purging. These individuals often feel out of control when they binge and have significant feelings of shame and embarrassment. Binge eating disorder is often but not always associated with obesity.
- Other Eating Disorders and Symptoms: Many people do not meet the exact criteria for one of the above diagnoses but have significant disruptions in their eating behavior that require treatment. A comprehensive evaluation will help in determining those symptoms that call for intervention.
