Eating disorders top teen issue at unit

A THIRD of teenagers presenting to a new outpatient adolescent unit at St Patrick’s Hospital have an eating disorder.

Consultant psychiatrist Sarah Buckley said there was a “huge demand” for services for young people with an eating disorder and services here were “very limited”.

She said while all areas of adolescent mental health were under-resourced, this was one area where there was little expertise and often families sought help abroad for their children.