Anorexia Nervosa in Childhood and Adolescence

In this chapter, the definition, epidemiology, symptomatology, and comorbidity of childhood and adolescent anorexia nervosa are discussed. With regard to classification, the difficulties arising from age-typical symptomatology are explained, and the issue of the weight threshold value is debated. Early symptoms indicating the onset of an eating disorder, as well as particularly harmful behaviors of childhood anorexia nervosa, should be taken into account. In this context, special attention is given to somatic sequelae, e.g., for bone and brain development. The assessment at this age is not always straightforward; the most important differential diagnoses and somatic comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, are described, and the age-specific peculiarities in the course of the disorder are highlighted.