Saturday, April 19, 2025
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Tag: feeding therapy for children

Understanding ARFID and Picky Eater Disorder: What Kind of a Condition Is Avoidant or Restrictive Eating?

For many people, being a "picky eater" is often shrugged off as a personality quirk or a phase that children outgrow. But what happens when selective eating isn't just a preference but a deeply rooted, disruptive pattern that interferes with physical health, emotional well-being, and social function? What kind of a condition is picky eater behavior when it becomes persistent and extreme? Increasingly, clinicians and researchers are recognizing that what many refer to colloquially as "picky eater disorder" may in fact reflect a diagnosable and serious condition known as ARFID—Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. As our understanding of eating disorders continues to evolve, so too must our awareness of conditions like ARFID, which do not always fit the traditional mold of anorexia or bulimia but are no less impactful.