Fussy eating is something that most parents will experience with their children at some point – some to a greater extent than others – and the information I share will be enough to support you through that. 

 

Sometimes, however, there’s something else going on and the issue is more than a simple case of fussy eating.   

 

ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, is an eating disorder which manifests itself in young children. It is extreme picky eating, which if left untreated and without the right support, can be dangerous. 

 

It’s normal for children to refuse to eat certain foods, to be upset when you cut their cucumber the wrong way, to be wary of trying new meals, but this will usually go away over time when putting into practice my tips.

 

With ARFID, this doesn’t resolve itself over time. Children will have a very short list of ‘safe’ foods (around 5-10), they will restrict whole food groups and textures, be willing to only eat a certain brand (and let’s pray the packaging doesn’t change), will suffer from severe food aversions potentially gagging or vomiting when presented with new foods or when around a food they don’t like the smell of, they will suffer a heightened anxiety around food and may prefer to go hungry if their safe foods aren’t on offer.

 

If your child displays significant weight loss over a short period or isn’t growing as you’d expect, the range of foods your child is eating suddenly becomes narrower, or if your child displays signs of malnutrition and looking unwell, it is time to seek support. 

 

When working with me, if I suspect that there is more than fussy eating at play then I will alert you to my concerns. If you’re reading this and you suspect that your child may be suffering with ARFID, it’s important to discuss your concerns with a GP.