ABSTRACT

The purpose of this thesis was to produce more information about under school aged children’s eating disorders and the effect of early childhood nutrition to health in later life. This thesis was practice based. The practice part of this thesis was organized as a department session for City of Nokia maternity and child welfare clinic public health nurses. The results of this thesis can be used as aid to encountering families suffering from eating disorders. As an outcome of this thesis information was collected to intranet for the use of public health nurses encountering a child client with eating disorder.

This thesis was conducted by collecting written and studied information regarding under school aged children’s eating disorders. In literature there is very little information available on under school aged children’s eating disorders. Information mainly consists, in addition to nursing, of different areas of science e.g. education theory, nutrition science, psychiatry and psychology.

The theoretical framework of this thesis consists of five parts. The first part deals with occurrence of eating disorders, causes for them, and effects of illness to eating behavior. The second part deals with issues preventing eating disorders. The third part supporting healthy eating habits in public health nurses work. The fourth part deals with early childhood nutrition and the effects on later health. The last part focuses on professional communication.

Conclusions can be made that eating disorders occur already among under school aged children. Eating disorders are generally quickly passing phases, but when prolonged can affect a child’s health in future life. Under school aged children’s eating disorders are often caused by interactional reasons, but the effect of illnesses on eating behavior is of significance.