The Signs & Symptoms of ARFID: A NYC Speech and Feeding Therapist’s Recommendations
This week, I have noticed increased awareness of a feeding issue I have personally experienced. I have also specialized in treating this issue for the last 23 years as a speech-language pathologist and feeding therapist in NYC.
As a neurodivergent individual, speech language pathologist, and feeding specialist for the past 23 years, I have helped many children with feeding challenges through therapy services. These challenges include: extremely picky eaters and tube-fed babies, who grow into healthy, well-nourished preschoolers!
Now, all of a sudden, my social media feeds are filled with a fancy acronym. This acronym is ARFID, which, before this week, was definitely a rare occurrence!
ARFID stands for Avoidant, Resistive Food Intake Disorder. This means that a child who has been diagnosed with ARFID has a very limited diet. Their diet may only be restricted to a few foods they feel comfortable and safe eating.
ARFID is not a choice. This condition is characterized by fear and anxiety around certain foods and mealtime in general.
Understanding the Signs of ARFID in Children
A highly sensitive child may experience significant anxiety during mealtimes. They may also be sensitive to certain tastes, temperatures, or textures.
As a parent with little ones at home, you may be wondering: “Is my child a picky eater, or do I need some professional support?”
ARFID is not the same thing as picky eating. It is diagnosed only if a child’s restricted food intake is affecting their growth and overall development.
What are Common Symptoms of ARFID?
Common characteristics of ARFID symptoms that I treat are:
- Food is significantly avoided because of its particular taste, texture, smell, temperature, or visual appearance.
- Extremely restricted diet of only a few “safe foods.”
- Complications to overall appetite, growth, health, and well-being.
- Poor interoception and feelings of hunger.
- Poor appetite overall.
- Extremely picky eating that affects overall health and development.
- Significant weight loss.
- Nutritional deficiency.
- Digestive & bowel issues.
- Tiredness and dizziness.
What are Common Behavioral Changes in ARFID?
Common behavioral changes in ARFID can include:
- Difficulty paying attention.
- Irritability and mood swings.
- Lethargy.
- Fear of eating.
- Fear of choking.
- Gagging or vomiting at the sight or taste of certain foods.
- History of medical surgery, illness, or viruses that caused a reduction in food intake, resulting in fear of eating.
- Only eating foods with a certain visual presentation, smell, texture, temperature, or taste.
- Difficulty sitting for a meal, with mealtime anxiety present.
The causes of ARFID are still being researched. They are complex and multilayered.
What Causes ARFID in Children and Adults?
ARFID can be caused by a variety of factors and influences, including:
- Fear and anxiety.
- A complex birth or medical history.
- Neurodivergence.
- Health changes.
- Medical illnesses, viruses, pathologies.
- Structural changes.
- Surgery.
- Genetic changes.
- Environmental, social, and cultural factors.
- History of trauma.
ARFID can affect both children and adults.
Children are more at risk for feeding challenges if they were born premature, have an underlying neurological concern, or have had a traumatic medical experience or situation around food, eating, and mealtime.
Neurodivergent children who have been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, anxiety, or depression are also at higher risk for ARFID.
Untreated ARFID can have long-reaching consequences for your child’s overall development. It may affect their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being.
I invite you to consider reaching out for help today. Your child does not have to struggle through mealtime anymore!
Mealtime CAN be a joyful time for nourishment and connection with your child and family!
Concerned Your Child May Have ARFID? Chatty Child Can Help!
Our experienced feeding therapists can assess your child’s mealtime skills. We provide the personalized and tailored support your child needs to grow and thrive!
Chatty Child is a personalized, boutique, neurodivergent affirming speech, feeding, and occupational therapy clinic.
We are here to support all your child’s speech, feeding, and occupational therapy needs through specialized therapy services.
I invite you to schedule a tour to discover the support waiting for your child at Chatty Child.
We are here to help. Let’s create excellent eaters, confident voices, calm minds, and limitless possibilities – together!
Sincerely,
Heather Lynn Boerner, MA CCC/SLP
Start Support With a Feeding Therapist in NYC Who Understands
At Chatty Child, we help children who struggle with restrictive eating patterns, sensory sensitivities, and anxiety around food. Our therapists strive to address both the physical and communication aspects of mealtimes in a way that feels safe, supportive, and individualized.
Because ARFID is not simply “picky eating,” our approach is centered on understanding the full picture. This includes how a child experiences food, their sensory responses, and how mealtime stress may be affecting growth, communication, and daily functioning.
Here’s how to begin:
- Call 347.491.4451 or reach out online to schedule a free 15-minute phone conversation.
- Complete a comprehensive feeding and communication evaluation with our NYC speech therapist and feeding therapy team.
- Begin personalized therapy designed around your child’s sensory profile, comfort level, and goals.
- Support gradual progress with food exploration, mealtime confidence, and reduced anxiety in everyday settings.
With guidance from our NYC feeding therapist and speech therapist team, children build safer, more flexible relationships with food while caregivers gain practical tools for home and school mealtimes.
Comprehensive Developmental Support at Chatty Child
At Chatty Child, we focus on the whole child, not just one area of development. We support children in building communication, learning, and emotional regulation skills that carry over into everyday life at home, school, and in their communities. We recognize that speech, behavior, relationships, and confidence all influence one another and develop in connection over time.
Our services include:
- Speech Therapy – Individualized, play-based support that builds language skills, speech clarity, social communication, and confidence in real-life interactions.
- InterAct – A play and storytelling-based program that fosters language growth, creativity, and connection through shared narratives and guided interaction.
- Occupational Therapy – Support for sensory processing, motor development, and independence in daily routines and self-care skills.
- Hum Studios – Mindfulness and compassion-centered classes that help children develop emotional awareness, regulation, and accessibility across ages.
- Teletherapy – Flexible virtual speech and occupational therapy services available to families throughout New York State.
- Tutoring – Tailored academic support focused on reading, writing, comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
- Functional Nutrition – Nutrition-informed guidance aimed at supporting attention, regulation, and overall developmental well-being.
- Consulting – Collaborative support for caregivers, parents, and educators to help children succeed across home, school, and community settings.
- Group Programs – Small-group experiences designed to strengthen communication, cooperation, and social-emotional development through structured interaction.
Meet Heather: Speech and Feeding Therapist in NYC
Heather Boerner, MA, CCC-SLP, is a New York-licensed and nationally certified speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience in pediatric speech therapy in NYC. Her approach combines clinical expertise with mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and her perspective as a neurodivergent clinician.
She is the founder of Chatty Child Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy, PLLC, where she provides individualized, inclusive support for children’s communication development. Heather is also the author of Carrie the Colorful Chameleon, a children’s book about confidence and self-expression.
Heather offers in-person sessions in Tribeca and virtual therapy across New York State, helping children build communication skills and everyday confidence.
