For months I was told I was overreacting but my son was starving for help

A surge in eating disorders among children in the UK has put a spotlight on the urgent need for better education and faster intervention, as seen in the case of Cardiff mother Jodie Morris, who had to “fight for support” for her nine-year-old son, Jae.
After a sickness bug at age six, Jae developed avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and severe anxiety, but Jodie says his struggles were dismissed by doctors and teachers, leaving her feeling like a “crazy mum.” National data reveals that eating disorders in children and young people have more than doubled in recent years, with NHS England reporting that the proportion of 11 to 16-year-olds with an eating disorder rose from 0.5% in 2017 to 2.6% in 2023, and a staggering 185% increase in children and young people awaiting treatment since 2016, highlighting the strain on mental health services and the critical importance of early intervention and awareness in schools and healthcare settings.
Jodie described how, after months of dismissed referrals, Jae was diagnosed with anxiety disorder in January 2024 and ARFID in June 2024, but only after she sought private help and persisted through repeated rejections from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
“Multiple referrals were sent to CAMHS and at the time they were completely dismissed, they refused all the referrals.
So then I found a private dietitian who would see Jae.
We went to see her a couple of times, she’s an eating disorder specialist who does private work and NHS work.
And I think if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think they would have ever accepted the referrals.” Jodie said that when the eating disorder team finally gave Jae a formal diagnosis, “That phone call I thought my legs were going to give way because I was like, ‘oh my God, finally someone is actually listening.'”
Jae’s experience is not unique, as recent research shows that children as young as six are being diagnosed with eating disorders, and waiting times for urgent cases can exceed 12 weeks, far above NHS targets.
Jodie recounted that for over a year and a half, Jae could not eat with his peers at school due to his anxiety, often hiding or discarding his food, and that support from the school only improved after his formal diagnosis.
She said: “When I notified the school he had a formal diagnosis, from that day everyone took me seriously and it wasn’t just one crazy mum.” Nationally, the Children’s Commissioner for England has called for stronger protections and earlier intervention, noting that eating disorders remain a major public health concern and that timely, effective care is essential for young people facing these challenges.
Jodie continues to advocate for greater awareness and education around eating disorders and mental health in children, believing that “all of the support that Jae now has, I have had to fight for because there is not enough awareness.” A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board acknowledged the importance of timely care and apologized for the delays Jae experienced, encouraging families to reach out if they have concerns.
As the number of children and young people diagnosed with eating disorders continues to rise, experts and campaigners stress the need for increased funding, improved mental health education in schools, and robust early intervention to prevent more families from facing similar battles for support.