Mona in the Media
As one of the UK’s leading ARFID experts, Mona is often asked to offer her professional input on a range of topics and across a range of media, from leading health websites to national radio. This includes expert insights into eating disorders and issues with self confidence, analysing the latest trends and their psychological impact.
Below are a number of articles featuring interviews with Mona that you may find interesting.
Just a picky eater or does YOUR child suffer from an eating disorder that deprives them of vital nutrients?
Terrifyingly, your GP will never have heard of it…
It’s something that will be familiar to most parents: that annoying phase when your infant can’t seem to pick up a toy without putting it in their mouth. But that was never the case for Michelle Jacques’s son, Arlo, now six.
‘He wouldn’t put anything near his mouth – toys or food,’ says the 38-year-old stay-at-home mother from Essex. ‘He immediately had a look of disgust on his face. He had this fear of it.’
The Hidden Eating Disorder: 'You feel like the worst parent'
When Arlo was in the hospital, the staff hadn’t heard of his condition and tried to feed him a KitKat. Parents say it’s time for the NHS to wake up to ARFID.
Speaking to The Times newspaper, Mona provided an expert insight into the condition: “There isn’t that obsession with weight,” says Mona Hansen, a psychologist, who has seen a rise in cases at her clinic in both girls and boys.
Teenage girl went blind after decade-long diet of crisps and french fries
Psychologist and ARFID specialist Mona Hansen says getting a diagnosis or help on the NHS can be tricky. She says: “Although ARFID has been recognised as a mental disorder since 2013, there are still many medical professionals who are not aware of it.”
Some sufferers have sensory issues around food, which can be linked to autism, or a lack of interest in eating, which is quite common in ADHD patients, she says.
Child Excluded From Family Dinners for Eating 'Junk Food' Sparks Debate
A dispute over whether a child with an eating disorder should be allowed to attend family dinners with his cousins and other relatives has drawn contrasting reactions online.
In a Reddit post upvoted over 10,000 times, a concerned dad writing as “arfidmealhelp,” detailed the difficulties he has faced as the parent of a child with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
Experts Warn Against Kylie Jenner-Inspired 'Yacht Shoulders' Body Trend
Thigh gaps, bikini bridge, leggings legs; we are no stranger to toxic beauty standards, constantly pushed to adapt our bodies to whatever look is trending.
Now, there is a new unattainable standard being pushed on young women, with the latest fad, ‘yacht shoulders’, pushing experts to warn against the potential dangers of leaning into these trends.
Managing an Eating Disorder Under Quarantine Is Weird and Hard
In recent months, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown every aspect of normal life into disarray. Most people in the world are dealing with a brand new situation that’s left us anxious for ourselves and our loved ones while managing massive disruptions to normalcy.