Is It ARFID — or Just Picky Eating?
If your child eats only a handful of foods, refuses entire food groups, or melts down at mealtimes — it might be more than just picky eating.
This quiz will help you identify early red flags for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and guide you toward your next best step.
Did You Know?
Most kids with extreme picky eating — including ARFID and PFD — rarely goes away on its own. Research shows up to 80% of kids with feeding challenges need support to make real progress.
👉 Take the quiz to find out if your child is in the Fearful™, Stuck™, or Curious™ stage, what that means for them — and get your next step toward easier mealtimes.
START THE QUIZEven if your child doesn’t have an official ARFID diagnosis, the signs can be overwhelming — anxiety at mealtimes, meltdowns around food, or eating fewer than 10 foods.
“I didn’t even know what I was looking for — I just knew mealtimes were stressful and my child wasn’t eating well. Taking Christine’s quiz gave me clarity I didn’t expect. We finally had a starting point — and that changed everything.”
— Samantha, mom of a 4-year-old"
“We kept hearing ‘he’ll eat when he’s hungry,’ but it wasn’t true-- and he never seemed hungry! The quiz helped us finally understand what was really going on.”
— Irene, mom of a 6-year-old"
Not ready to take the quiz yet? Here's why this step matters— especially if you’re concerned about ARFID.:
Many parents of kids with ARFID or extreme picky eating wait months — even years — hoping their child will just grow out of it. But Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) usually doesn’t resolve on its own.
We’ve worked with so many families who thought they just needed to “wait it out.” Once they understood what was really going on, they felt immediate relief — and their child began making real progress faster than they ever expected.
This quiz is the first step toward understanding whether your child may need ARFID feeding help — and how to meet them where they are.
💡 You’ll get customized insight + your next best step.
✓A clear understanding of whether your child’s eating is typical, a phase, or needs support
✓ Where your child currently falls on the Mealtime Success Pathway: Fearful™, Stuck™, or Curious™
✓A focused, actionable next step toward calmer, more confident mealtimes
If your child isn't eating enough, the label matters less than getting help.
Whether you’ve heard the term ARFID, been told your child might have PFD, or you’re just feeling stuck with extreme picky eating — you’re in the right place.
This quiz helps you cut through the confusion and take the right first step — no diagnosis required.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the different professionals out there—SLPs, OTs, dietitians, psychologists—you’re not alone.
Here’s what most parents don’t realize: Feeding therapy isn’t covered in depth in any graduate program—not even for Speech-Language Pathologists or Occupational Therapists.
It requires specialized, advanced training to truly understand and treat the complex layers of feeding challenges.
That’s why working with a provider who has extensive, post-graduate training specifically in feeding is essential.
As an SLP with advanced training in pediatric feeding, I created this chart to help you clearly see who treats what—and why starting with the right expert is so important.
What If It’s Not ARFID?
Many parents land here because someone — a doctor, therapist, or even a Google search — mentioned ARFID. It sounds like what your child is going through… and that can feel scary.
Here’s the truth:Most of the families I work with have never received an official ARFID diagnosis — and many don’t need one.
What they do need is a clear way to understand their child’s eating struggles — and a compassionate, research-based plan to move forward.
Whether your child has ARFID, Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD), or is simply an extremely selective eater, the first step is the same:
Understand why your child is stuck with food — and give them the support they need to move forward.
--That’s exactly what this quiz is designed d!
