"That diet soon became problematic for Stella, too: later, she removed chunks from her soup and struggled to drink smoothies that contained small seeds. She grew so afraid of swallowing that she'd spit out her saliva. She said she had a fear of choking, Briana says. (The last names of Stella and Briana have been withheld for privacy.) In less than a month, Stella became so tired and malnourished that her parents took her to the hospital."
"Doctors put her on a feeding tube, and they were concerned that the rapid weight loss for her age might cause heart issues. Within 24 hours of being hospitalized, a psychologist diagnosed Stella with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID, a serious eating disorder that's become steadily more prevalent globally in recent years. Health care providers and psychologists are now trying to untangle ARFID's causes, signs and disconcerting rise."
An eight-year-old, Stella, stopped eating solids and progressively avoided textures, developing intense fear of choking and spitting saliva. Rapid weight loss and malnutrition required hospitalization and a feeding tube. A psychologist diagnosed avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), an eating disorder that has increased globally. ARFID involves persistent food avoidance that leads to significant weight loss, failing to meet nutritional needs, or impaired growth in children. Consequences include vitamin deficiencies, hormonal disturbances, hair and muscle loss, feeling cold, and developmental delay. Clinicians distinguish ARFID from normal picky eating and often recommend supplemental nutrition to address caloric and developmental deficits.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]