Grand River Hospital’s Child and Adolescent Outpatient Eating Disorder team offers evidence-based treatment for youth with eating disorders between the ages of 7 – 17.5 within Waterloo Region.

Our highly trained team includes pediatricians, social workers, occupational therapists, and dietitians who work together to treat various eating disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

Treatment model

Family Based Treatment (FBT) is the first line of intervention for youth diagnosed with an eating disorder.

This treatment model requires patients and their caregivers to attend a half-day assessment, followed by weekly, one-hour therapeutic appointments and weekly medical appointments. All families members are asked to attend treatment. Treatment typically lasts 6-12 months (17-20 sessions). Families can expect to have weekly appointments for approximately 2-4 months, moving to bi-weekly and eventually monthly.

An eating disorder clinician will work with your family to explore ways to enhance FBT effectiveness or determine alternate treatment paths should FBT be ineffective.

How to be referred

Referrals are accepted from primary care providers - click here to download the referral form.

For families without primary care providers, please visit your nearest urgent care for the physician to assess medical stability and complete the referral form.

Completed referrals can be faxed to: (519) 745-7649

All patients are assessed and medically followed by the program’s pediatricians, who have expertise in the area of eating disorders. Upon medical assessment, families are referred for nutritional and psychosocial assessment and psychoeducation.

Please note that the referral volume often exceeds the number of children we can provide treatment for at any given time. Referrals are regularly reviewed to ensure the most acute children are accepted into the program first. The team works to see all patient referrals in a timely manner.

If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact your clinician.

When to seek additional medical help

Please seek additional medical help or take your child to the emergency department if the following:

  • Persistent or worsening dizziness or light headedness
  • Fainting
  • No food or fluids for 24 hours
  • Self-harm or suicidal ideation

Program location

We are located across the street from the KW Campus of Grand River Hospital at 850 King St. West, Kitchener ON, N2G 1E8 (directly beside the former CTV News building).

Our program is located on the fourth (4) floor; when you enter the building, you will be greeted by administration staff who can direct you to the program offices. Please see the below images for more details.

Once you are on the fourth floor, we kindly ask you to check-in with reception with your health card.

Please note that the eating disorder pediatrician appointments are separate from the outpatient eating disorder appointments. Pediatricians may have appointments at their offices or in the 3A unit at Grand River Hospital. Therapeutic sessions are held at 850 King St. West.

Images of the treatment spaces for the child and adolescent outpatient eating disorders program at 850 King St. W.

Education and resources