Does My Child Have Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder?

Does your child show a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs associated with significant weight loss (or failure to achieve expected weight gain or faltering growth in children)?

Does it show a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs associated with significant nutritional deficiency?

Does it show a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs associated with dependence on enteral feeding or oral nutritional supplements?

Does it show a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs associated with marked interference with psychosocial functioning?

Can you confirm that the disturbance is not better explained by lack of available food or by an associated culturally sanctioned practice?

Can you confirm that the disturbance is not caused by anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, and is there no evidence of a disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight/shape is experienced?

Can you confirm that the eating disturbance is not attributable to a concurrent medical condition or not better explained by another mental disorder?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that your child has avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

While it is unlikely that your child has avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, it is displaying some signs related to it. According to a parent a child can be a picky eater, but sometimes eating behaviors can become a serious problem. When a child starts to show a general lack of interest in eating and this has a negative impact on growth, the child may be diagnosed with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. Take your child to the doctor when this is the case. Adults may also suffer from this disorder.

While it is unlikely that your child has avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, it is displaying some signs related to it. If left untreated, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder can cause severe problems. People with this disorder do not meet their daily nutritional needs. They may experience dizziness, sleep problems, stomach cramps, hair thinning, and decreased immune function. If you suspect your child is suffering from this disorder, you should take him to the doctor immediately.

Unfortunately, your child is displaying symptoms typically seen among individuals who have avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. It is very important to take your child to the doctor. The body is not receiving enough nutrients to keep it functioning properly, so bodily processes may slow down. Treatment can help a child to start eating various foods again which will result in weight gain and growth. A team of specialists (e.g., nutritionist, psychiatrist, and doctors) may be needed to help your child to be healthy again.