If my child is anorexic will she have delayed onset of puberty?

Yes: Puberty as a transition requires a variety of nutritional inputs to support a rapid growth rate and reshaping of various body structures. As such, undernourished kids can delay the onset of slow the transition for quite some time. Some anorectic females will never start menses or stop them alltogether until nutrition improves.

Yes: Maybe, but it depends on the severity of the disease state and the level of malnourishment that is ongoing with the patient. Many kids with anorexia will experience significant problems with puberty due to the nutritional challenges their bodies face.

She might: Underweight patients may not have enough body fat to manufacture the hormones required for puberty. Patients with eating disorders who are already in puberty are at risk for losing final height potential because their growth plates may continue to mature without the benefit of growth as long as nutrition is suboptimal.

Anorexia: More than likely if it is not corrected. The body needs a certain mass to proceed through puberty.