| Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: Treatment options | 703.000000000000 | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: Treatment options | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: Treatment options | A | English | Psychiatry | Toddler (13-24 months);Preschooler (2-4 years);School age child (5-8 years);Pre-teen (9-12 years);Teen (13-18 years) | NA | NA | Non-drug treatment | Caregivers
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2016-02-02T05:00:00Z | | | | | | 11.1000000000000 | 52.6000000000000 | 889.000000000000 | | Health (A-Z) - Procedure | Health A-Z | <p>Learn how ARFID can be treated in hospital and at home.</p> |
<p>At the moment, little is known about the most effective treatments especially for young people with <a href="/Article?contentid=274&language=English">avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)</a>. In general, treatment is similar to that offered to children and teens with
<a href="/Article?contentid=268&language=English">anorexia nervosa</a>.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul>
<li>At the moment, the treatment for ARFID is similar to the treatment for anorexia nervosa.</li>
<li>If a child is at an extremely low weight with an irregular heart rate or low blood pressure, they will receive treatment in a hospital. This treatment focuses on giving enough nutrition to return the child or teen to a healthy weight and limiting exercise.</li>
<li>If a child is medically stable, they will be treated at an outpatient eating disorders program by a team of professionals. They will receive psychological treatment and have their weight, heart rate and blood pressure checked regularly.</li>
<li>At home, the goal is to reintroduce all the foods that a child has cut out from their diet, for example through food chaining.</li>
<li>If depression or anxiety is an underlying cause of ARFID, a child might be prescribed medications or receive cognitive behavioural therapy.</li>
</ul> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <h2>In-hospital medical treatment</h2>
<p>If your child is at an extremely low weight and is medically unstable (slow or irregular heart rate or low blood pressure), they will need to be admitted to hospital so their heart rate, blood pressure and weight can be monitored closely.</p>
<p>ARFID causes some children to lose a lot of weight and cut out many foods from their diet. While in hospital, your child will receive the nutrition they need to help them return to health. Their activity may also be limited. </p>
<p>Your child's healthcare team will adjust the amount of nutrition throughout your child's hospital stay so your child can regain weight in a steady, regular pattern. The goal is for your child to receive the amount of nutrition that their body requires to gain weight and reintroduce a variety of foods that they may have cut out during their illness.</p>
<p>As a parent or caregiver, you will typically be involved in feeding by helping to supervise meals with your child. The goal for discharge is for your child to be at a medical status that is considered safe to be out of hospital (at a safe weight and with a regular heart rate and blood pressure).</p>
<h2>Outpatient treatment with a care team</h2>
<p>If your child with ARFID is medically stable and does not need an in-hospital stay, you will be seen by an outpatient eating disorders program. There, your child will be cared for by a team of specialists, including a psychiatrist, psychologist, dietitian, adolescent medicine doctor or paediatrician, nurse or social worker. These experts will work together to come up with the best possible care plan to meet your child's unique needs.</p>
<p>Your child will visit the hospital to come to appointments, but they will not stay overnight. These hospital appointments will include psychological treatment to address the eating disorder and regular checks of your child's weight, heart rate and blood pressure. The weight checks help your child's team see how much weight your child is gaining. Weight gain is a vital part of returning the body back to health.</p> | <h2>Nutritional treatment</h2>
<p>Families can sometimes be surprised by how much nutrition their child needs just for their body to start to rebuild and get back to a healthy weight. If your child is receiving treatment, it is best to reintroduce all the foods that your child cut out while they developed the eating disorder and have them eat a variety of foods from all the food groups.</p>
<h2>Behavioural interventions</h2>
<p>Behavioural interventions are techniques to help someone learn to change their behaviour. One type of behavioural intervention is "exposure therapy". This involves exposing a child with ARFID to a food they may fear or avoid, in a safe setting, so that they may overcome their negative feelings towards it. Another method is called "food chaining". This involves introducing new foods that are similar to those already preferred by the child so that they are more likely to try them. </p>
<h2>Psychological therapy</h2>
<p>Some children and teens with ARFID may also experience depression and/or <a href="/Article?contentid=18&language=English">anxiety</a>. If this affects feeding, they may benefit from <a href="/Article?contentid=702&language=English">cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)</a> and other treatments for their underlying condition. CBT is a type of goal-oriented psychotherapy to help someone change the patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind their mental health difficulties.</p>
<h2>Medication<br></h2>
<p>If a child has anxiety or depression and it interferes with their ability to function or take part in their eating disorder treatment, they may be prescribed <a href="/Article?contentid=701&language=English">medication</a> along with psychological therapy.</p>
<p>The most common medications prescribed are antidepressants, but sometimes people with ARFID may also be prescribed anti-psychotic medication to help them with very severe anxiety or distorted beliefs.</p> | | | | | <h2>Further information</h2><p>For more information on avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), please see the following pages:</p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=274&language=English">ARFID: Overview</a></p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=275&language=English">ARFID: Signs and symptoms</a></p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=273&language=English">ARFID: Medical complications</a></p><p>
<a href="/Article?contentid=272&language=English">ARFID: How to help your child at home</a><br></p><p>Please visit our teen mental health hub for teen-specific resources on <a href="https://teens.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=3790&language=English&hub=mentalhealthAZ#mentalhealth">treatment and outcomes for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)</a>.<br></p><h2>Resources</h2><p>
<a href="http://www.nedic.ca/" target="_blank">NEDIC – National Eating Disorder Information Centre</a> (Canada)<br></p><p>
<a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/" target="_blank">NEDA – National Eating Disorder Association</a> (United States)</p><p>American Academy of Pediatrics –
<em>
<a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/Pages/Is-Your-Teen-at-Risk-for-Developing-an-Eating-Disorder.aspx" target="_blank">Eating Disorders in Children</a> </em></p><p>
<a href="https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/" target="_blank">BEAT – Beating Eating Disorders</a> (United Kingdom)</p><p>
<a href="https://keltyeatingdisorders.ca/" target="_blank">Kelty Eating Disorders</a> (Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre, BC Children's Hospital)</p><p>Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario –
<a href="https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/eating_disorder_info" target="_blank">
<em>Eating Disorders</em></a></p> | | <img alt="" src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/avoidant_restrictive_treatment_options.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/avoidant_restrictive_treatment_options.jpg | | | | | | | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: Treatment options | | False | | | | | | | | |
