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.
World-leading expertise in feeding disorders
Our multidisciplinary team of feeding specialists at Evelina London Children’s Hospital have extensive experience helping children with avoidant/restrictive eating and their families.
Our team includes paediatricians, dietitians, occupational therapists, psychologists and speech and language therapists. Most of the children we see in the clinic are 4-11 years old, but we can see young people up to 16 years old.
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
Restricted feeding workshop price list
Our workshops are not an assessment of your child’s needs. We do not provide recommendations or give you an individual report, as it is a group workshop.
Price: £250
What is included:
- 2.5 hour expert led webinar on Microsoft Teams.
- An interactive, virtual group session with the opportunity to meet other parents who have children with feeding difficulties.
- Written course materials, including handouts and a certificate, which we’ll send to you afterwards.
- Signposting to other helpful resources.
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.
Related services
Find out more about our children's services:
-
Children's general medicine
Our general paediatricians diagnose and manage common childhood conditions, such as asthma, chest infections and growth problems.
-
Children's neurosciences
Our specialists provide integrated rehabilitation for different types of neurodivergent, neurogenetic and neuromuscular disorders.
-
Children's renal medicine
Our paediatric nephrology service delivers diagnosis, treatment and care for babies and children with kidney problems.
-
Infant feeding support
Our paediatric dietitian provides infant feeding and lactation support for new mothers and their babies. Find out more.
Locations
Our children's specialist services are available in the following locations: