ABSTRACT
My daughter Estée, age 13, developed anorexia nervosa two years ago. Estée is the youngest of three daughters and we live in a rural setting. My husband and I own and run a business. Before developing AN, Estée was a delightful, totally well-behaved girl, perfectionistic and with a tendency to be a worrier. Initially, we observed changes in her eating pattern and mood: she began turning down previously enjoyed foods such as ice cream and chocolate, isolated herself from family members, began nightly jogs, and developed uncharacteristically irritable moods. We wondered if these behavioural changes were due to her transfer to a new school after her best friend moved house. Over five months, Estée's weight fell to a medically unsafe range. After several unsuccessful attempts at seeking help from general practitioners, Estée was admitted to hospital for four weeks in February 2009, which improved her weight slightly, and by which time the AN diagnosis was clear.
