ARFID — Is your child fussy, or is it something more serious?

I was a long-term, paid contributor to the Healthy Food Guide magazine here in NZ. In 2015, they commissioned me to research and write an article on ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).

I spent a month speaking to experts from around the world, with a focus on those based in NZ. I was also privileged to speak to parents with children who had a diagnosis of ARFID. My research included in-depth interviews with GP’s, hospitals, and public and private clinics.

It was also written after the release of the Sunday special that aired around ARFID. The show caused quite a stir with many parents recognising their child in many of the scenarios featured. It also caused unnecessary worry for those with children who were very picky but not meeting the diagnosis for ARFID.

The resulting article can seem a little overwhelming and negative, but the overall message is that a child can learn to eat more widely wherever they start from. Having ARFID does not have to be life-long.

Although written in 2017 there has been little change in the intervening years.

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Imagine your child is struggling to execute a basic function, something that keeps them alive. Something they must do to maintain…