Choosing a resource or provider

A directory listing is only a starting point. Verify that a service fits the child's age, location, needs, and safety concerns before sharing medical information or scheduling care.

Identify the service you need

• Pediatric primary care: first review of growth, hydration, symptoms, development, medication, and referrals.
• Pediatric dietitian: nutrition and growth-related assessment and individualized nutrition planning.
• Feeding/swallowing SLP: chewing, oral-motor, swallowing, and feeding-skill concerns.
• Feeding-trained occupational therapist: sensory, motor, posture, utensils, routines, and participation within the therapist's scope.
• Psychologist, psychiatrist, or eating-disorder clinician: ARFID-related fear, low interest in eating, anxiety, distress, and mental-health treatment within their training.
• Pediatric feeding or ARFID program: coordinated care when multiple domains need assessment; Boston Children's Hospital is one example of this model.[2]
• School team: educational evaluation and daily accommodations; school processes are jurisdiction-specific.

ASHA distinguishes ARFID from pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders and describes interprofessional collaboration as the preferred practice pattern for pediatric feeding and swallowing care.[1] Pediatric clinical guidance also describes multidisciplinary management for ARFID.[3]

Questions to ask before scheduling

• Do you work with children this age?
• Do you specifically see restricted eating, ARFID, pediatric feeding disorder, or swallowing concerns?
• Which parts do you assess, and which concerns require another professional?
• How do you protect safe foods, hydration, and the child's dignity?
• Do you use pressure, forced bites, food removal, or a fixed exposure quota? If so, ask for the rationale, risks, alternatives, and stopping rules.
• How do you coordinate with primary care, nutrition, mental health, the prescriber, and school?
• Do you need a referral or diagnosis?
• What are the costs, insurance requirements, waitlist, telehealth options, age range, and location limits?

Signs a resource may not fit

Be cautious if a provider:

• promises a universal cure or guarantees a number of foods
• treats all food refusal as defiance
• dismisses choking, coughing, pain, vomiting, growth, hydration, or medication concerns
• recommends supplements, elimination diets, or medication changes without individualized assessment
• cannot explain what they assess, how they protect safety, or when they refer to another professional

Keep directory entries current

For each organization, record:

• service name and direct link
• country, state, or region
• age range and service type
• informational, directory, clinical, or crisis role
• date last reviewed
• what a parent should verify before relying on it

Availability and scope change. A listing is not an endorsement.

Sources

[1] ASHA: Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing — professional guidance on pediatric feeding, swallowing, ARFID distinctions, and interprofessional roles.

[2] Boston Children's Hospital: ARFID Program — example of a multidisciplinary hospital program; local programs differ.

[3] American Academy of Pediatrics: Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder — clinical reference describing multidisciplinary management; access may require a subscription.