ARFID & feeding difficulties

Some children eat a very small number of foods, avoid whole food groups, or find eating stressful or scary. Sometimes this is diagnosed as ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) or pediatric feeding disorder. Sometimes there’s no diagnosis yet, just a family that knows something isn’t working.

Where a dietitian fits

Feeding therapists (speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists) work on the skills and comfort of eating. ARFID therapists help with the fear, anxiety, and learned responses that can come with eating. My role is the nutrition side:

• Is your child getting enough calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals from the foods they accept?
• Is their growth on track, and if not, what’s the safest way to close the gap?
• Would a supplement, a fortified “safe food,” or a temporary change help, without undoing the work happening in therapy?
• What realistic, low-pressure steps can you take at home?

I’ll ask for your permission to coordinate with your child’s therapists and doctors, so the nutrition plan supports their work instead of competing with it.

What a first visit looks like

The initial assessment is a 75-minute video visit. Before it, you’ll fill out secure intake forms in the client portal. During the visit, we’ll talk through:

• your child’s medical and feeding history
• growth records you have from your pediatrician or specialists
• what your child eats and drinks on a typical day, including their “safe” foods
• what mealtimes are like for your family right now
• what you’re hoping will change

You don’t need to prepare a food diary, and your child doesn’t need to sit for the whole visit. You’ll receive a written plan afterward with a few clear priorities, not a long list of rules.

Packages for ARFID and feeding difficulties

The Feeding Foundations package (3 months) includes an initial assessment, five follow-up visits, a coordination letter to your child’s feeding therapist or ARFID therapist, and secure messaging between visits. See packages and pricing.

If your child is losing weight quickly, refusing all food or fluids, or seems unwell, contact your child’s doctor right away. In an emergency, call 911.