Selective Eating Disorder: Signs, symptoms, treatment and more

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Selective Eating Disorder Signs, symptoms,
treatment and more
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What is selective eating?

• Selective eating comes under the umbrella of
  Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
  (ARFID). More than 50 of eating disorders fall
  below the threshold for diagnosis as Anorexia or
  Bulimia or Binge Eating Disorder and fall into
  this spectrum of diagnoses. It is far more than
  just being a fussy eater people with ARFID may
  have a phobia about certain foods, a very
  restricted diet, sensory aversions to certain
  tastes, textures or even swallowing.

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How do I know if I have selective eating?
Selective eating disorders can affect adults as
well as children.
Selective eaters frequently have an aversion to
entire food groups such as fruits, vegetables or
pulses.
People with selective eating often become
distressed when they are encouraged to try
different foods, either because of a phobia, or
fear of choking or vomiting as a result of eating
it.
The majority of selective eaters do not have
weight issues, and are generally within the
normal BMI range.
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What are the causes and effects of selective
eating?
Childhood events can also trigger the problem,
such as a divorce or moving house. Selective
eating becomes a way of people trying to exert
control over their lives.
Selective eating problems can also be caused by
sensory processing, and is down to the texture or
feel of food in the mouth.
If the condition is severe enough, the person may
suffer from malnutrition with consequent
physical problems such as digestive problems,
electrolyte imbalances, low blood pressure and a
slower heart rate.
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Selective eating treatment

• Ellern Mede follows NICE guidelines which
  suggests Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Family
  Based Therapy are treatments of choice for people
  with eating disorders. We also employ a range of
  psychological approaches including motivational
  enhancement therapy and cognitive remediation
  therapy. For young people with restrictive types
  of eating disorder, family based therapy is an
  effective intervention. For people with
  avoidant/aversive eating disorders there is
  evidence from the eating recovery centre in the
  United States, that a treatment called Exposure
  and Response Prevention (ERP), formerly used to
  treat addictions or anxiety, is useful for
  selective eating disorder when used in
  combination with CBT. ERP used in combination
  with CBT is said to be delivering longer-term
  cessation of eating disorder behaviours.

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About Ellern Mede

• Ellern Mede has been providing evidence-based
  specialised treatment for children and young
  people with eating disorders since 2000. We
  support children and young people aged 8 to 18
  years, with a full care pathway to achieve
  exceptional rates of recovery.
• In addition, Ellern Mede Barnet has a four bed
  ward for young adults up to 22 years
  transitioning from CAMHS to adult services, the
  community or back home.

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Contact Information
Head Office Ellern Mede Ridgeway Holcombe
Hill The Ridgeway Mill Hill London NW7 4HX
Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
1353 Email info_at_ellernmede.org
Website https//ellernmede.org/
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Thank You!