ARFID is not a choice for children. It is a complex interaction between nature, nurture and a complex mixture of different experiences and interpretations of those experiences. Appetite, sensory and social interactions all play a role.

Many children go through phases where they reject broccoli, protest at the sight of anything green, or insist on eating the same brand of macaroni and cheese every day. But how do you know if it’s just typical picky eating or something more serious, like Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)? In this post, we’ll break down the differences between picky eating and ARFID, outline red flags to look for, and stress the importance of ruling out underlying medical condi