What Is ARFID? More Than Picky Eating

Q: How can parents help with ARFID?

- Meal planning: plan nutritionally balanced meals and snacks - Structured meals and snacks: keep a schedule! - Happy mealtimes: keep the atmosphere and mood positive at meals - Make sure your child sits with the family at mealtime, even if they choose not to eat - Do not reward or bribe them to eat - Set limits on taking food or snacks - Do not provide favorite or "rescue" small meals or snacks if your child does not eat at meals - Avoid distractions at mealtime such as TV, phones, tablets, or toys - Offer choices: would you prefer this food or that food? - Track what your child will and will not eat, then build next week's meal plan around the foods that worked well and fill the gaps with new foods to try - Be a role model! Make food a positive and happy experience, from meal prep to enjoying the meal

Q: When should you seek help?

Talk with your pediatrician or a dietitian if your child: - Omits one or more food groups - Eats fewer than 20 foods - Is losing weight - Shows poor growth - Gags, chokes, vomits, coughs, or splutters during meals - Has a history of eating or breathing difficulties - Has a history of GI discomfort or fullness - Has not been able to move from baby food textures to toddler textures, or from toddler textures to child textures - Avoids certain food textures (smooth, crunchy, tough, chewy, etc.) - Has multiple food intolerances or allergies

3 hours ago

2 min read

By Sara Tillery MA RDN LD, K&A Nutrition

What is Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)?

ARFID is a term used today that is defined by a pattern of eating that is limited in the variety and/or amount of food consumed.

What is the difference between picky eating and ARFID?

We know that feeding toddlers and children can be stressful and create situations that can be troubling. These could be the child who throws food on the floor, refuses to eat what is served, or even refuses to come to the table at mealtime.

ARFID is more than just picky eating! ARFID is defined as a pattern of eating with significant negative consequences:

Refusal of meals leads to weight loss
Refusing to eat certain foods leads to nutritional deficiencies
Refusing to eat certain food textures leads to dependence on nutrition supplements

How common is ARFID?

Feeding challenges occur in approximately 25% of children. Because ARFID is a new diagnosis, there is limited evidence on the number of children with ARFID. Limited evidence shows 5% of children and up to 15% of teens with disordered eating diagnoses have ARFID.

What are the three types of ARFID?

Types of ARFID: sensory, fear of consequences, and lack of interest

What are the signs my child has a food aversion?

How can parents help with ARFID?

Meal planning: plan nutritionally balanced meals and snacks
Structured meals and snacks: keep a schedule!
Happy mealtimes: keep the atmosphere and mood positive at meals
Make sure your child sits with the family at mealtime, even if they choose not to eat
Do not reward or bribe them to eat
Set limits on taking food or snacks
Do not provide favorite or "rescue" small meals or snacks if your child does not eat at meals
Avoid distractions at mealtime such as TV, phones, tablets, or toys
Offer choices: would you prefer this food or that food?
Track what your child will and will not eat, then build next week's meal plan around the foods that worked well and fill the gaps with new foods to try
Be a role model! Make food a positive and happy experience, from meal prep to enjoying the meal

When should you seek help?

Talk with your pediatrician or a dietitian if your child:

Omits one or more food groups
Eats fewer than 20 foods
Is losing weight
Shows poor growth
Gags, chokes, vomits, coughs, or splutters during meals
Has a history of eating or breathing difficulties
Has a history of GI discomfort or fullness
Has not been able to move from baby food textures to toddler textures, or from toddler textures to child textures
Avoids certain food textures (smooth, crunchy, tough, chewy, etc.)
Has multiple food intolerances or allergies

How can a dietitian help with ARFID?

Dietitians can help your child through a therapeutic approach delivered in individual or family sessions.

Concerned about your child's eating? Learn about pediatric nutrition counseling with K&A Nutrition.