Severe Eating Disorder in a 28-Year-Old Man With William's Syndrome -- Young et al. 166 (1): 25 -- Am J Psychiatry

Severe Eating Disorder in a 28-Year-Old Man With William's Syndrome -- Young et al. 166 (1): 25 -- Am J Psychiatry:

"'Mr. T' was a 28-year-old man with William’s syndrome who was admitted to a university-based inpatient psychiatric unit for evaluation and treatment of severe malnutrition and food refusal. At 5 feet 5 inches tall, his presentation weight of 64.6 lb rendered a body mass index of 10.7 kg/m2. Elfin faced, grinning, genial, with limited intellectual functioning, and in the company of his parents, he arrived on the unit carrying a book on drag racing and a magazine for drummers. Although never in his life heavier than 78 lb, as a result of increasingly restricted patterns of eating, Mr. T lost 10 lb during the 2 months before admission. His parents and primary care physician were deeply concerned and requested inpatient evaluation, medical stabilization, and treatment of Mr. T’s presumed eating disorder.

Because Mr. T’s I.Q. had been previously assessed at about 80, although his parents provided much of the history, Mr. T offered what information and perspectives he could regarding his symptoms, behaviors, and his understanding of their causes. Mr. T’s stated chief complaint was 'I get backed up when I eat, so I’m losing weight.' He was not concerned about his current weight but realized that his parents were worried about his weight and health. For their part, Mr. T’s parents worried about not having had formal training in parenting and managing the dietary habits of an adult with a possible eating disorder. They wanted instruction in how to constructively monitor and encourage healthy eating without being overbearing."