1. Family centered care is empowering not pathologizing.
Treat the patient’s family as part of the team. Don’t rush when explaining your thoughts and recommendations. Building trust and rapport with a patient’s family is imperative and takes time. Continue to show up for the family as well as the patient. If the family needs additional support, be ready to offer them referrals and options (i.e. respite, therapy, childcare, etc.).

2. ARFID and PFD are not willful, they’re protective. Slow and steady exposures are key!
Make sure that food exposures are slow and steady. Remember that a food exposure can look like touching or licking a food. Also, exposures can be non-food related! If a patient has sensitivity to wet foods, water play or cleaning dishes with a soapy sponge can be a great first step. Going too fast when the patient feels unsafe will be a backward step. Find that sweet spot where something is challenging but not overly activating, triggering, or overwhelming.

3. Your support and informed referrals dramatically shift outcomes.
Early, multidisciplinary support improves outcomes. Make connections with clinicians outside of your scope. Ask questions about when it would be appropriate for a patient to be referred to them and what kind of support they provide. Growing your referral network will help patients get support from trusted providers and save time!

Valentina Steverlynck, MS, RD, LDN (she/her)
Registered Dietitian
Yébo Nutrition LLC