Restricted feeding disorders workshop

Restricted feeding  is a pattern of eating that is usually present in children from around the age of 2. Where your toddler won’t eat, or your toddler doesn’t eat enough this is sometimes known as fussy eaters or picky eaters, and it occurs for a variety of reasons.

Some children with restricted feeding are diagnosed with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). ARFID is one diagnosis within restricted feeding where your child is extremely selective with the food they eat, or refuses to eat entirely.

As your child may eat a limited variety of preferred foods, this can lead to poor nutrition and growth problems. Mealtimes can also be stressful for them, as well as for you as a parent or carer.

What can I do if my child won’t eat?

Our restricted feeding virtual workshop offers expert knowledge, advice, and guidance on the causes of avoidant/restrictive feeding and some useful strategies to help parents and carers.

You will leave our 2.5-hour interactive group workshop with practical ways to support your child at nursery, school or home and reduce stress at mealtimes.

Support for fussy eaters

Our virtual workshop is open to parents and carers affected by restricted feeding and ARFID.

By the end of the workshop, you will:

• understand the causes of ARFID and some of the reasons why your toddler won’t eat
• have methods for dealing with the impact of stress on mealtimes and eating
• take away practical strategies to support your child at different mealtimes
• understand the importance of mealtime structure and routines
• have nutritional advice for picky eaters including a framework for introducing new foods to your toddle

FAQs

Below is some further information on restricted feeding that you may find useful.

Symptoms of restricted feeding

Your child may show some – but not necessarily all – of the following:

• eating a very restricted range of foods (selective eating)
• rarely appearing to be hungry or asking for food
• avoiding or getting upset at mealtimes
• gagging or vomiting at the sight, smell or taste of food
• eating very small amounts
• refusing to self-feed
• spitting out food
• high anxiety over new foods
• difficulty eating in different settings (children may only eat at one particular restaurant, will not eat food on holiday or eats certain foods at home and others at school)
• negotiating or using distraction techniques to avoid eating

For parents of children experiencing restricted feeding there may be a constant worry about your child’s eating and mealtimes can be a challenge.

On a day to day basis, you may find:

• your child might only eat specific brands of food
• foods have to look ‘right’ – including being in the right packaging or appearance, be the right texture, temperature or smell before they are accepted
• foods may be chosen based on how they feel inside the mouth

Some children with restricted feeding are over or underweight, but many are not. A child with restricted feeding may be lacking in essential vitamins and minerals.

How is restricted feeding different from ‘fussy/picky eating’?

Most toddlers go through a stage when they reject new or unfamiliar foods. Children usually grow out of this stage and learn from watching others which foods are safe and ok to eat. Children with restricted feeding get stuck in this stage and their difficulties with eating interfere with everyday family life.

What causes restricted feeding?

Restricted feeding is not caused by parents, or by a child being deliberately ‘naughty’. Complex feeding difficulties generally involve a combination of factors. Certain factors can increase the likelihood that a child may have restricted feeding (but not all children will have all factors):

• Premature birth.
• Complex medical problems in early life, particularly those requiring a feeding tube.
• Renal conditions that affect appetite.
• Early feeding difficulties including problems latching on, falling asleep during feeds, small frequent feeds and breathlessness on feeding.
• Vomiting or reflux in infancy.
• Severe constipation.
• Food allergies including eczema.
• Late introduction of solid foods due to illness.
• Developmental difficulties such as delayed speech and language development.
• General dislike of change or new things.

Restricted feeding is common in children on the autistic spectrum, but not all children with restricted feeding are autistic.

Restricted feeding/ARFID is diagnosed by a paediatrician or clinical psychologist, often in consultation with a dietitian, occupational therapist and speech and language therapist.