At the dinner table with her family, “They would have whatever my mom prepared, and I would have microwaved waffles with chocolate chips. She says she was terrified of throwing up if she ate certain foods. “I remember making up excuses like, ‘I’m not hungry,'” says Elliot, now 20 and a doula. The only fruits and veggies she consumed were apples or baby carrots. For 15 years, Elliot only ate a few things: waffles, plain bagels, peanut butter, pizza without cheese or sauce and french fries. That was the case for McKaelen Elliot from Scottsdale, Arizona. The mental health disorder tends to be behind the more extreme cases that make the news. Sufferers aren’t simply particular: Some have sensory difficulties, and some are afraid to eat because they think they might choke or vomit. The condition, which was added to the DSM-V in 2013, causes a fear of the act or sensation of eating certain foods. Evelyn Attia, director of the Columbia Center for Eating Disorders at Columbia University Medical Center.Ĭases like those may point to a condition called ARFID, which stands for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. The biggest sign that it is? When a child stops growing or isn’t meeting his or her weight and height requirements, says Dr. Around age 3, most kids naturally become more open to eating other things, but if that doesn’t happen, parents should ask their pediatrician if it might be a more serious problem. Then, look for the developmental markers. Teen goes blind after eating only junk food for years: study Doing so is not only OK, but “recommended,” says Muth, who adds that picky eating only becomes worse when parents give into a child’s demands. Too many moms and dads are afraid to let their kids go to bed hungry. So how can you tell if your kid is an average veggie-phobe or if they’re suffering from a more serious block with food?įirst, Muth says, make sure you’re doing your job as a parent. And while junior’s broccoli refusal may indeed be temporary, it can feel like the Hot Dogs Only phase will last a lifetime when you’re in the middle of it. Extreme cases, like the ones making headlines right now, are relatively rare.īut such episodes are also nightmare fuel for moms and dads of finicky eaters - not all of whom grow out of it by preschool. Neophobia, or fear of new foods, is “classic” in toddlers kids tend to grow out of it after trying a food 15 to 20 times, or when they go to school and see their classmates eating a variety of foods. Natalie Muth, pediatrician and author of “ The Picky Eater Project,” tells The Post. This woman hasn't eaten fruits or veggies since she was 3