Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) are in the process of establishing a specialist Suffolk ARFID team to support children and young people. As the newly appointed Assistant Psychologist, I’m excited to share some information and resources which families and carers may find helpful.
What is ARFID?
ARFID is an eating disorder characterised by an avoidance or refusal of food which results in significant negative impacts to a person’s health, to include one or more of the following:
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Persistent lack of energy
- Weight loss, or impeded growth/ weight gain in children and young people
- Dependence on nutritional supplements
- Significant impacts on functioning in everyday life (such as social activities, recreational activities, or engagement with education).
Many people experience aversions or dislikes of some foods, which is not necessarily a concern if their health or social functioning is not impacted. Refusal of new foods can also be normal stage of child development, providing there are not associated health concerns.
Individuals with ARFID are precisely that – individual. As a result, ARFID presentations vary, but may include:
- Sensory aversion: some textures, tastes, smells, appearances, or temperatures may be intolerable.
- Worry: some people may worry about the consequences of eating (e.g. vomiting or choking).
- Lack of interest: some people may have a low ‘drive’ for food or may have trouble noticing if they are hungry.
Our Support
When the Suffolk ARFID pathway is launched we will be supporting children, young people, families, and carers in a variety of ways. The support offered will be based on clinical need and may include:
- Information and resources: Signposting to support people to access relevant information for their needs, which may include educational or self-guided materials.
- Consulting with professionals: Some children and young people may already benefit from existing relationships with other health professionals. In these instances, we may support them via their established support networks by providing specialist consultation to professionals. In turn, this will up-skill the local workforce who will gain knowledge on how best to support people with ARFID.
- Specialist assessment and tailored interventions via the ARFID team: Some children may require specialist assessments, diagnosis, and/or treatments. Our multi-disciplinary team may create individualised treatment plans where young people require more support. In these instances, parents/ carers will be invited to our collaborative parent/ carer psychoeducational workshops.
Whichever step of the journey we may join you on, we look forward to supporting children and young people to have a better quality of life. Referrals to our team will be via professionals, therefore please speak with your GP or existing healthcare professional support team if you feel your family may benefit from this support. Please note the Suffolk ARFID team is not yet accepting referrals but aims to do so in early 2025, information confirming our ‘launch’ will be distributed nearer the time.
Resources
These recommended resources are not an alternative to specialist medical advice. If you are worried a child or young person may have ARFID, or any other eating disorder, please book an appointment with your GP.
