An Open Letter to Parents of Children, Teens, and Young Adults With ARFID in 2025

An Open Letter to Parents of Kids with ARFID

If your child lives with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), you already know how complicated things can feel. Whether your kiddo is in elementary school, navigating the teen years, or stepping into young adulthood, ARFID affects the whole family. And no matter where you live in San Diego, New York, London, or Toronto, finding the right support is what matters most.

You’re Not Alone in This

Parenting a child with ARFID can be overwhelming. It is hard to know what to do when selective eating shows up at every meal. Should you push them to try new foods? Should you follow their lead? Maybe try food chaining, where you introduce foods similar to the ones they already eat?

The truth is: there is no simple answer. And it can leave parents doing mental gymnastics just to figure out the next step.

Please Hear This: It Is Not Your Fault

ARFID is not something you caused. Like other eating disorders, it has a strong biological basis. One twin study even showed that up to 79 percent of ARFID traits may be genetic. So whether you encouraged food or gave your child space to lead, ARFID did not begin because of your choices.

What matters now is how you and your child can move forward with the right kind of support.

The Importance of Support

ARFID often shows up alongside other challenges, like anxiety, OCD, or PTSD. That is why it is so important to have a treatment team in place, including an ARFID-informed therapist, a dietitian, and medical providers who can do a full work-up to ensure your child is physically stable.

It is also important for you. Your child will feel your stress and anxiety, and that can affect how they respond to food. Building your own support system, practicing self-care, and seeking therapy if needed can make a big difference in how you show up for your child.

Finding Your Next Step

If you are feeling unsure about where to begin, you do not have to figure it out all on your own. That is exactly why I created my ARFID and Selective Eating Course. This self-paced resource is designed to help you understand ARFID more deeply, feel less alone, and take practical steps to support your child. Parents and caregivers of all ages, as well as adults living with ARFID, will find strategies they can use right away.

👉 Check out my ARFID and Selective Eating Course here and take the next step toward finding the right help for your child.

Sending you encouragement and compassion as you move through this journey.