Understanding Avoidant-Restrictive Food-Intake Disorder (for Families)
Is every meal a battlefield? Does the thought of new foods cause panic? Do sensory textures (slimy, crunchy, mixed) trigger gagging? Are nutritional gaps or weight loss causing constant worry?
This course is made for families, parents, and carers. It uses plain language and there is no test at the end.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Understand what Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is and how it is different from picky eating.
Know that ARFID is common in Autism, ADHD, Learning Disability, and mental and physical health conditions.
See the difference between autism-related restrictive eating and ARFID, and know that both can happen at the same time.
Spot some of the things that can play a part in ARFID, like sensory differences, anxiety, pain, body signals (interoception), health conditions, medication effects, and demand avoidance.