Reference
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake DisorderAvoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a disorder that first appeared in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. The diagnosis captures individuals who fail to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. The diagnosis is agnostic as to etiology: the food avoidance/restriction can be due to a general lack of interest or indifference to food, experiences of sensory aversion to food, fears of aversive consequences such as choking, etc. That said, the presumed etiology cannot be due to fear of weight gain or motivated by disturbance in the experience of the body as defined in the context of anorexia nervosa: ARFID cannot be diagnosed in the context of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. To be diagnosed as ARFID, the energy/nutritional deficiency must be associated with (1) clinically significant weight loss or, in the case of growing children and adolescents, failure to make adequate gains or growth faltering; (2) nutritional deficiency; (3) dependence on oral nutritional supplementation or enteral feeding to obtain adequate energy and nutrition; and/or (4) significant psychosocial impairment secondary to eating disturbance. The determination of significant weight loss or failure to make expected gains is a clinical judgment: based on careful consideration of the individual's prior growth trajectory. Such determinations can be particularly challenging when the diagnosis of eating/feeding issues has been delayed, and thus, the child's optimal growth curve is difficult to discern. In the case of nutritional supplementation, this is considered diagnostic when the supplementation is required for the child to obtain adequate nutrition and/or energy – i.e., the child would be undernourished without the supplementation. Psychosocial impairment is considered marked if social functioning is severely limited or relationships are harmed or cannot be sustained due to eating difficulties.
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Streaming Media
- Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) Signs & SymptomsLearn about the signs and symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a little-known and often misunderstood eating disorder.
- My Strange Affliction: Selective Eating DisorderAmber Scott suffers from Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or extreme picky eating. An ABC News Production.
Articles
- ARFID - Avoidant / Restrictive Food Intake DisorderAvoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, also known as ARFID, is an eating disorder or feeding disturbance that is characterized by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. ARFID is often associated with a psychiatric co-morbidity, especially anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. This condition affects both genders and is more common in children and young adolescents; however, it can occur in late adolescence and adulthood as well.
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder. Children with ARFID are extremely picky eaters and have little interest in eating food. They eat a limited variety of preferred foods, which can lead to poor growth and poor nutrition.
ARFID usually starts at younger ages than other eating disorders. Unlike anorexia and bulimia, which are more common in girls, boys are more likely to have ARFID. - AVOIDANT RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISORDER (ARFID)Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a new diagnosis in the DSM-5, and was previously referred to as “Selective Eating Disorder.” ARFID is similar to anorexia in that both disorders involve limitations in the amount and/or types of food consumed, but unlike anorexia, ARFID does not involve any distress about body shape or size, or fears of fatness.
Perspectives
ARFID Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
ARFID Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: A Guide for Parents and Carers is an accessible summary of a relatively recent diagnostic term. People with ARFID may show little interest in eating, eat only a very limited range of foods or may be terrified something might happen to them if they eat, such as choking or being sick. Because it has been poorly recognised and poorly understood it can be difficult to access appropriate help and difficult to know how best to manage at home. This book covers common questions encountered by parents or carers whose child has been given a diagnosis of ARFID or who have concerns about their child. Written in simple, accessible language and illustrated with examples throughout, this book answers common questions using the most up-to-date clinical knowledge and research. Primarily written for parents and carers of young people, ARFID Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder includes a wealth of practical tips and suggested strategies to equip parents and carers with the means to take positive steps towards dealing with the problems ARFID presents. It will also be relevant for family members, partners or carers of older individuals, as well as professionals seeking a useful text, which captures the full range of ARFID presentations and sets out positive management advice.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, more commonly known as ARFID, is a relatively newly introduced diagnostic category. Research in the field, although growing, remains limited, with clinical knowledge and expertise varying across clinicians. There may be uncertainty how to correctly identify and diagnose the disorder as well as how best to direct treatment. This clinical guide sets out to be a trailblazer in the field, providing up-to-date information and comprehensive clinical guidance on ARFID in childhood and adolescence. Chapters in the book are divided into five sections, the first focussing on the importance of attending to the perspectives of those directly affected by ARFID. Three subsequent sections cover diagnosis and presentation, including chapters on aetiology, epidemiology, assessment, and outcome measures; clinical assessment, including psychological, family, nutritional, medical, and sensory components; and management, discussing nutritional, medical, psychological, and wider system approaches. The final section discusses prognosis and outcomes, and considers future research directions. This clinically focussed book, with contributions from a multi-disciplinary authorship, is intended to function as an accessible, practical guide, and reference resource. It includes summaries of available evidence, with related recommendations for clinical practice. The advice and suggestions included will assist clinicians in targeting their attention appropriately, to ensure that children, adolescents, and their families receive the best possible care.
Food Refusal and Avoidant Eating in Children, Including Those with Autism Spectrum Conditions
Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a restricted dietary range, and this book provides parents with advice and training on how to deal with this condition and achieve a healthier and more balanced diet. Now described as Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), it is due to sensory hypersensitivity, and it can impact upon the health of the child, upon the family, and upon social integration. Based upon successful training packages the authors provide for parents and professionals, this book enables the reader to understand the condition and work with it, gradually increasing the range of food a child is able to eat. It includes 'box outs' with case studies, points of interest and action points to make this an accessible and resourceful read.