ARFID is an eating disorder which is also called selective eating disorder
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder or ARFID is an eating disorder described as the condition when you limit the amount and type of food you eat.
Doctors sometimes call it a selective eating disorder because a person having this condition considers only a few foods to be eaten. In some instances, those having this eating disorder only eat food in certain ways, such as eating foods in a certain order, based on the article in Web MD.
Having this condition may result in not wanting to eat, worrying that something bad might happen if you eat, such as choking or throwing up, and avoiding eating foods that don’t have a certain color, taste, texture, or smell.
ARFID may affect your health very tremendously. It can lead to weight loss. However, it is different from being classified as a picky eater. This eating disorder is classified as “extreme picky eating.” Many children may go through the stage of “picky eating” and this can come and go.
Having this condition, the person doesn’t eat enough for their bodies to work the way they should. Kids with this eating disorder can experience slow weight gain and growth.
Causes
- Genetic factors
- Social and cultural factors
- Psychological factors
Symptoms
- Severe weight loss
- Lack of appetite
- Abnormal menstrual periods
- Stomach cramps and pain
- Constipation
- Trouble concentrating
- Low iron or thyroid levels
- Slow heart rate
- Dizziness or fainting
- Feeling cold all the time or having a low body temperature
- Dry hair, skin, and nails
- Fine body hair growth
- Thinning of hair on the head
- Muscle weakness
- Weakened immune system
- Poor wound healing
- Cold hands and feet
- Swollen feet
- Low energy
Treatments
- A personalized meal plan by a dietitian
- Nutritional supplements
- Speech therapy to help with your motor skills for eating
- Medicines to help your appetite or ease anxiety
- Meetings with a psychiatrist or psychologist to treat other mental health conditions that could affect your ARFID
- Cognitive behavioral therapy to help you notice the thoughts and feelings you have around food and help you manage them
Other eating disorders are Rumination Disorder, PICA, Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, and Anorexia Nervosa.