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The overall aim of admission is for a gradual increase in weight at the rate of 0.8-1kg per week to recover from the immediate effects of weight loss and under nutrition.

• This will allow for recovery from the immediate effects of weight loss and under nutrition.
• A return to regular eating and improved variety in hospital is essential to establishing ongoing
  improvements at home.
• We also aim to assess other medical and psychological needs and provide emotional support.

The admission also aims to help families feel better equipped to manage eating disorder challenges after discharge. It commonly requires 2-3 weeks in hospital to meet the admission goals. The recovery process can start in hospital, but a full recovery will require sustained support from an outpatient treating team. Most young people will only need one admission. If another admission is required, additional aims and a longer period may be needed. 

The foundation for the inpatient program is a highly specialised understanding of both the medical and psychological aspects of eating disorders. Providing a high level of supervised care in a range of ways is essential to starting the recovery process. 

• A high level of supervision is important because when a young person is experiencing an eating disorder, there are a range of behaviours that are having a negative impact on their physical and psychological health.
• Disordered eating behaviours are often outside the person's control and leads to anxiety.
• To address the many eating disorder behaviours, the program has a series of interventions and guidelines that create clear and consistent expectations.
• Most eating disorder admissions occur on a medical ward but in the case of an admission due to mental health deterioration or increased safety risks, a transfer to the adolescent mental health ward may be necessary. If this occurs the young person will remain on the Eating Disorder Program.
• During the mental health admission process the team will discuss with the young person and family the expectations and goals for admission and how the mental health ward and program is different.

Being admitted to hospital can come as a shock. You may feel overwhelmed about what is ahead or even upset and angry. A part of you may be relieved that your family finally know what is going on - it has probably taken a big effort to keep the eating disorder hidden. Maybe another part of you might be worried about losing control.

We've noticed that young people may worry about the impact on their family and have feelings of self-blame and guilt for having an eating disorder. We want to acknowledge that this may also not be how you are feeling at all. 

Part of being in hospital is using the opportunity for us to get to know you and how you think and feel about experiencing an eating disorder. Sometimes there are lots of additional stresses on top of eating and hospital is a good chance to let people know about these as well.

• We do not think a young person is to blame for developing an eating disorder and our goal is to support you to start to feel better.
• As you start to feel a bit better you might like to learn more about what eating disorders are and how they develop.
• While you are in hospital, you will have the opportunity to talk to different team members.
• If you are feeling anxious or distressed about something, please speak to the nursing staff, one of the therapists or your doctor.
• It is very common when you are experiencing an eating disorder to see parts of your care differently to the team and disagree with what is being asked. This is actually a defining aspect of an eating disorder because eating causes such anxiety that it doesn't seem logical to eat.
• Even though we may not always agree, we want to hear your feedback and will try to listen and understand. 

Eating disorders are serious complex physical and mental health illnesses, often beginning in adolesence. They occur for people of all genders, sizes and backgrounds.

• They are characterised by very noticeable changes in nutritional intake and behaviours that lead to weight loss.
• There may be a disturbance in body image and fear of gaining weight.
• Some young people are very aware that they are unwell with an eating disorder while others can find it hard to understand why people are worried.
• There are a number of different eating disorders that affect children and adolescents. We most commonly care for young
  people with anorexia nervosa and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.
• We will talk through your child’s diagnosis during the admission.