Occupational Therapy & ARFID Treatment

What is ARFID?

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a serious and complex condition characterised by intense anxiety, and sensitivities/aversions to certain foods and textures. Individuals with ARFID may present as “picky eaters” and have a very limited diet, and can feel highly misunderstood regarding their food and eating habits.

How can Occupational Therapists help?

OT’s are trained in assessing the whole person and examining individuals factors that impact one’s functioning in daily activities, especially feeding. Often individuals with ARFID have co-occurring diagnoses such as ASD, ADD/ADHD, and OCD. With these diagnoses, it is common to experience differences in sensory processing, interoception (awareness of internal body cues - i.e., hunger, thirst, temperature), and emotional regulation, all of which significantly impact our engagement in daily activities and quality of life. OT’s assess how one’s sensory, motor, emotional, and environmental/cultural factors impact eating.

What to expect from an OT supporting someone with an ARFID diagnosis?

At Shine, your OT will initially spend time discussing the main symptoms and concerns regarding your child’s ARFID diagnosis (i.e., avoidance of foods/textures/colours, oral motor difficulties, previous traumatic experiences such as choking/vomiting, and environmental/cultural factors such as expectations around meals and eating routines). In the first 1-2 sessions meeting with the child, the OT will assess primary areas of concern, as well as examine other areas that may be important to include in understanding the whole picture of their relationship with food and eating. With ongoing treatment, the OT will use individualized goals and supports to gradually build the child’s engagement, tolerance, and confidence with food. Treating ARFID is not linear, and will require engagement from the family for implementing support outside of clinic sessions. Your OT will provide resources and support to help transfer learned skills and strategies to other environments.