COVID-19 and Mental Health (CMH) Initiative: Research

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Recommendations from the Canadian Consensus Panel

Key Messages

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has created a demand for virtual delivery of ED care for child and adolescent patients
  • Telemedicine in ED treatment can include videoconferencing and telephone services (for family-based therapy [FBT] and/or cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT]), email and text messaging therapy, smartphone applications, and guided/unguided self-help programs
  • Viable options for child and adolescent ED patients include virtual FBT and CBT; other methods lack sufficient evidence
  • Health care providers delivering virtual care for this population need to prepare for remote monitoring challenges, by addressing privacy concerns, being virtually present during weighing, and ensuring full family engagement in sessions

Keywords

  • Eating disorders
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Binge Eating Disorder
  • Virtual care
  • Telemedicine
  • Self-help
  • Videoconferencing
  • COVID-19
  • Children
  • Adolescents

Author(s)

  • Nominated Principal Applicant: Dr. Jennifer L. Couturier, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
  • Jennifer Couturier (McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada)
  • Catherine Miller (Canadian Mental Health Association – Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin, Kitchener, Canada)
  • Neera Bhatnagar (McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada)
  • Melissa Brouwers (University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada)
  • Sheri Findlay (McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada)
  • Leanna Isserlin (University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada)
  • Melissa Kimber (McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada)
  • Gail McVey (University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada)
  • Mark Norris (University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada)
  • Wendy Spettigue (University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada)
  • Cheryl Webb (McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada)
  • Wendy Preskow (National Initiative for Eating Disorders, Toronto, Canada; parent advocate)
  • Rachel Loewen (youth advocate, Woodstock, Canada)
  • Techiya Loewen (parent advocate, Woodstock, Canada)
  • Elizabeth Waite (parent advocate, Woodstock, Canada)
  • Catherine Ford (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Toronto, Canada)
  • Ahmed Boachie (University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada)
  • Cathleen Steinegger (University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada)
  • Josie Geller (The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada)
  • Adele Lafrance Robinson (Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada)
  • Seena Grewal (University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada)
  • Monique Jericho (University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada)
  • Gina Dimitropoulous (University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada)
  • Kerry Bourret (St. Joseph’s Care Group – Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay, Canada)
  • David Pilon (Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada)
  • Jennifer Coelho (The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada)
  • Anick LeClerc (McMaster Children’s Hospital, Hamilton, Canada)
  • Debra Katzman (University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada)
  • Natasha Johnson (McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada)

For more information, please contact: Dr. Jennifer Couturier, coutur@mcmaster.ca

Related Syntheses

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Population

Chronic Disease and/or Mental Illness, Children, Youth and Families

Language

To ensure the rapid dissemination of this critical information, information is published in the language in which it was submitted. Please contact us for French or English translations.

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