Demystifying ARFID

In this weeks episode, Han is joined by PhD student, Laura Bourne. Laura is currently conducting her PhD at UCL, exploring the eating disorder ARFID, avoidant restrictive feeding and intake disorder.

Laura is interested in getting a better understanding of ARFID: what do we already know, what do we need to know, what are the different presentations, what impact does it have on the individual and their family.

In this weeks episode, we explore the things we already know about ARFID: the signs, symptoms, and medical consequences associated with ARFID.

We discuss the stigma's associated with ARFID: "picky eating", "poor parenting", "they'll grow out of it". We also explore the "link" between ARFID and autism, and whether they can be distinguished.

Finally, we discuss the treatment types for ARFID, how it differs from other eating disorders such as AN and BN, and how to initiate recovery, especially if the individual with ARFID doesn't understand the need for recovery.

To find out more, you can find Laura's research here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laura-Bourne or you can find more about ARFID specifically here: https://www.arfidawarenessuk.org.