Welcome To Hyderabad’s Top Psychiatry Care
My goal is to help young individuals understand their emotions, trust their bodies, and nourish themselves with care. With family support and the right guidance, full recovery is not only possible — it’s powerful.
Dr Sathiya Ganesan’s
Healing Starts with Nourishment — Body, Mind, and Self-Worth.
Feeding and eating disorders can disrupt not only a child’s physical health but also their emotional development, self-esteem, and relationships. Whether it’s extreme picky eating, food refusal, body image struggles, or dangerous weight control behaviours, early psychiatric support is critical.
Dr. Sathiya Ganesan, Consultant Psychiatrist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, offers specialised, sensitive, and recovery-focused care to help young individuals overcome eating disorders and build a healthy relationship with food and self.
Understanding Feeding and Eating Disorders
When Food Becomes a Struggle – Restoring Balance and Emotional Health
Eating disorders in children and adolescents go beyond diet habits — they involve intense fear, control, anxiety, or distorted self-image around food, weight, and body shape. These conditions often develop silently and can have serious medical and psychological consequences if untreated.
Common Feeding & Eating Disorders include:
- Anorexia Nervosa – extreme food restriction, fear of gaining weight, body image distortion
- Bulimia Nervosa – binge eating followed by purging or excessive exercise
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) – highly selective eating, fear of choking, or lack of interest in eating
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED) – recurrent overeating episodes without compensatory behaviours
- Pica – eating non-food substances (e.g., paper, chalk, soil)
- Rumination Disorder – repeated regurgitation of food
These disorders are not choices — they are psychiatric illnesses that require structured and compassionate treatment.
Common Signs of Eating Disorders in Children and Teens
Parents and caregivers should look out for:
- Significant weight loss or lack of expected weight gain
- Avoiding meals or eating in secrecy
- Fear of choking, vomiting, or certain textures
- Excessive concern about body weight or shape
- Rituals around food (e.g., cutting into tiny pieces, chewing excessively)
- Intense fear of weight gain despite being underweight
- Fatigue, dizziness, fainting, or irregular periods in adolescent girls
- Signs of bingeing or purging behaviors (vomiting, laxative use)
- Constant talk about “healthy eating” or calorie counting in young teens
These symptoms may develop gradually — early detection can prevent long-term complications.
Individualized Treatment Planning and Nutritional Rehabilitation
Each care plan focuses on:
- Restoring physical health and nutritional balance
- Addressing emotional triggers, fears, and control patterns
- Rebuilding a healthy relationship with food
- Enhancing body image and self-worth
Dr. Ganesan collaborates with pediatricians, dietitians, and therapists to ensure multidisciplinary care that treats both body and mind.
Psychotherapy and Emotional Skill Building
Therapy plays a central role in recovery. Depending on the child’s age and condition, Dr. Ganesan provides:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) for eating disorders
- Family-Based Therapy (FBT/Maudsley Approach) – engaging parents in meal support
- Body image therapy and self-esteem building
- Play or expressive therapy for younger children with ARFID or pica
- Mindfulness practices to reduce anxiety before and during meals
Therapy helps children gain insight, replace rigid thinking, and regain a sense of control over their recovery.
Medication Support (When Necessary)
For some children and teens, medications such as SSRIs or appetite-modulating agents may be prescribed to manage:
- Severe anxiety or obsessive thinking around food
- Depression or mood symptoms
- Impulse control in bulimia or binge-eating disorder
Dr. Ganesan prescribes medications cautiously and only when clinically indicated, always alongside therapy and medical monitoring.
Parental Guidance and Family Support
Families are vital to recovery. Dr. Ganesan provides parent coaching to help caregivers:
- Respond calmly and consistently during meals
- Avoid power struggles around eating
- Support weight restoration in a compassionate way
- Understand emotional and behavioral signs of relapse
Parental confidence and involvement are key to successful outcomes, especially in younger patients.
School Collaboration and Academic Support
Eating disorders can lead to school avoidance, concentration issues, or bullying. Dr. Ganesan works with schools (with consent) to:
- Arrange reduced workload or gradual return plans
- Educate staff on eating disorder support
- Prevent food-related anxiety during school hours
A collaborative approach helps the child feel safe across all environments.
Secure Online Consultations and Follow-Ups
For ongoing recovery support, Dr. Sathiya Ganesan offers confidential telepsychiatry for:
- Regular therapy sessions
- Medication reviews
- Parental guidance
- This ensures consistent, flexible care, especially during relapse prevention and maintenance phases.
Why Choose Dr. Sathiya Ganesan for Eating Disorder Recovery?
With deep experience in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Sathiya Ganesan provides a supportive, judgment-free space where children and teens can talk about food, body image, and emotions safely.
His gentle, multidisciplinary approach focuses on building trust, restoring health, and empowering both the child and the family toward full recovery.
Support Your Child’s Journey Toward Nourishment and Self-Love
If your child is avoiding food, struggling with body image, or showing signs of an eating disorder, don’t wait.
Contact Dr. Sathiya Ganesan today to start a personalised, medically-informed treatment plan that supports both emotional and physical healing.
What’s the difference between picky eating and an eating disorder?
Picky eating is common in young children. If food refusal leads to weight loss, social withdrawal, or anxiety, it may signal an eating disorder like ARFID or anorexia.
Can children develop body image issues at a young age?
Yes, especially in the pre-teen and teenage years. Exposure to peer pressure and media can cause distorted self-perception, increasing the risk of anorexia or bulimia.
What is the safest way to help a child gain weight during eating disorder treatment?
Weight restoration should be supervised by a psychiatrist, pediatrician, and dietitian. Family-Based Therapy is often used to support nutritional recovery in a safe, structured way.
Are feeding disorders like ARFID linked to anxiety or sensory issues?
Yes. ARFID is often seen in children with sensory sensitivities or anxiety. Treatment includes therapy, exposure work, and caregiver support.
Can feeding and eating disorders be treated online?
Yes. Telepsychiatry is effective for therapy, parental coaching, and monitoring progress. Dr. Ganesan offers secure virtual sessions as part of a flexible recovery model.
