8-Year-Old Shares Her Eating Disorder Journey With Her 1.3 Million Followers On Instagram
Dr. Kim Anderson is featured in this Parents piece about ARFID--helping to break down what it is; how to recognize ARFID vs. "picky eating;" and when/how to access help.
"It's not uncommon to confuse picky eating and ARFID; but the two are not the same thing. Though the lines can be blurred, there are ways to differentiate between the two, Anderson says. 'Unlike picky eating, ARFID is not a stage or a normal part of development. It’s not even 'extreme picky eating.' It’s a diagnosable and treatable eating disorder.'"
When people think of eating disorders, they're often familiar with bulimia and anorexia nervosa, but there's another, lesser-known eating disorder called Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, (ARFID) that causes kids (and adults) to fear certain foods and label other foods safe foods.1 To help bring awareness to this eating disorder, people like 8-year-old Hannah—along with her mother—are sharing the struggles someone with ARFID experiences.
