ARFID (Avoidance and Restrictive ED)

Service Description

ARFID (avoidance and restrictive food intake disorder) is common amongst children who have ADHD and /or AUTISM. Does your child only eat beige / dry food? Does your child only eat in certain settings? Does your child eat only a small variety of foods eg crisps, potatoes, chocolate, bread and chicken nuggets? Does your child only eat certain brands of foods and knows if you switch it (even if they don’t see the packaging)? Does your child struggle with food smells and textures? Does your child cry that they’re hungry but just ‘can’t eat’? Does your child have rules around food to ensure foods are ‘safe foods’? I have two children myself with ARFID and am a huge advocate for this difficult area that is so commonly misunderstood and misrepresented. I have a 19 year old with ARFID and a 7 year old with ARFID. I have professionally worked with families whose children have ARFID and helped them through the diagnosis phase, through the management phase at home and the management phase in other environments such as mainstream school. Eating difficulties in children causes stress and anxiety within parents (and quite rightly so). It is one of the most stressful conditions a parent will manage. If you need support as a parent or carer to feel confident in your approach in managing ARFID then you’re in the right place! Perhaps you already have a diagnosis but just need someone to speak to that understands. I’m here for all of it. Personal and professional experience means I can honestly and expertly understand the moment to moment challenges you face without parental judgement or behaviour misunderstandings.