| Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: How to help your child at home | 272.000000000000 | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: How to help your child at home | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: How to help your child at home | 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 | Conditions and diseases | Caregivers
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2016-02-02T05:00:00Z | | Seena Grewal, MD, MSc, FRCP(C);Melissa Lieberman, PhD | | | | 9.10000000000000 | 60.0000000000000 | 549.000000000000 | | Health (A-Z) - Conditions | Health A-Z | Find out what you can do to help your child or teen recover from avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. | <p>Families can experience a lot of stress when a child has <a href="/Article?contentid=274&language=English">avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)</a> because every meal feels like a battle. For instance, a child's inability to try new foods can place serious limitations on families. A child or teen with ARFID may display problematic behaviour such as difficulty swallowing or gagging and throwing tantrums, which can lead to a lot of conflict around meals.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul>
<li> A child's refusal to eat can lead to a high level of conflict around family mealtimes.</li>
<li>See a doctor if you suspect your child has a problem with eating.</li>
<li>Other ways to help your child include being a positive role model, making family mealtimes a routine and being persistent in having your child try more foods.</li>
</ul> | | | | | | <h2>Seek treatment from a doctor</h2>
<p>As a parent, you know your child best. If you think that your child has a problem, arrange for them to see their doctor. Early treatment is the best possible way to recovery.</p>
<p>Remember that <a href="/Article?contentid=703&language=English">treatment for ARFID</a> takes time and patience, but children and teens do recover from it. Strategies to target <a href="/Article?contentid=18&language=English">anxiety</a> can be helpful when working on increasing the variety and amount of nutrition.</p> | | <h2>Be a healthy role model</h2>
<p>As a parent or caregiver, you are a role model for your children. It is important to promote not only a healthy body image in children but also to show that you have a healthy body image. Avoid saying negative things about your physical appearance and weight. Instead, focus on what your body can do and on your positive attributes that have nothing to do with appearance. Minimize talk about good or bad foods and focus instead on overall health.</p>
<h2>Create a regular pattern of family mealtimes</h2>
<p>Make eating meals together as a family a priority, starting when your child is young. Eating as a family also promotes strong family bonds and better communication.</p>
<p>For children and teens diagnosed with an eating disorder, meal supervision is a key part of recovery. If your child avoids or restricts foods, it is important for someone to sit with them for every meal and snack during the first phase of their treatment. The underlying goal for family meals with someone with ARFID is to have them gradually eat one more bite than they first wanted to.</p>
<h2>Be persistent and consistent</h2>
<p>The anxiety of an eating disorder may make parents and children hesitant to challenge it. However, the only way to get over these fears is to keep trying the challenges. Remember, one attempt to eat more food is not enough. You and your child will need to keep practising so that your child can fully recover.</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=703&language=English">ARFID: Treatment options</a></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_how_you_can_help.jpg" width="3001" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/avoidant_restrictive_how_you_can_help.jpg | | | | | | | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: How to help your child at home | | False | | | | | |
