ARFID: Avoidant Restrictive Intake Disorder

Have you ever been told that your child is “just a picky eater”?

Or maybe you were called picky as a child yourself?

For some children and adults, it’s much more than that.

ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) is a real eating disorder that affects the ability to eat enough variety, enough volume, or sometimes enough food at all.

ARFID is NOT:

• picky eating

• stubbornness

• bad parenting

• “just a phase”

ARFID CAN look like:

• extremely limited safe foods

• fear of choking or vomiting

• gagging with certain textures

• anxiety around meals

• skipping meals instead of eating available food

• nutritional deficiencies or growth concerns

Some people with autism also develop ARFID, as autism can affect sensory experiences with food and increase the intensity of food restriction.

ARFID is an eating disorder that significantly impacts nutrition, health, or daily life.

🤍 Many families, including our own, are struggling silently with this.

We hope to share more awareness, encouragement, and support within our local community and online,