Decreased food intake after a choking incident

Abstract Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by problematic eating habits that place the patient at risk for nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, dependence on enteral feeding or nutritional supplements, or marked interference with psychosocial functioning. Unlike most other eating disorders, the abnormal eating behaviors seen in ARFID are not motivated by a disturbance in body image or the desire to be thinner. Compared to other eating disorders, ARFID is more likely to present in younger males with a median age of onset of 11 to 12 years. Symptoms of ARFID may develop after a traumatic food event such as choking. The assessment of ARFID should include a history including eating habits and a medical workup that evaluates for coexisting medical conditions. Successful treatment plans employ a multidisciplinary approach that includes weight stabilization and exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy.