ARFID Social Story
ARFID, Family Experience and Professional Support
Recently, I had the privilege of delivering a parent-focused session with Family Carers Ireland titled The Family Experience of ARFID. The session explored Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) through the lens of lived family experience, grounded in neuroaffirmative, compassionate practice.
It was an important opportunity to speak honestly about the realities many families face, while also signposting parents towards meaningful supports, professional guidance, and practical next steps.
This is not a topic I speak about only from a professional perspective. It is one I approach with deep respect for the families living it every day. As a parent to two sons with ARFID I know all too well the daily struggles individuals with ARFID can face but also as a parent looking on, trying to find strategies that support my children to feel safe to eat.
Why I Created This Free ARFID Social Story
Following years of supporting my own children and families just like mine, I recognised that many children need clear, reassuring, and respectful language to help them understand their own experiences with food. Through my role as Director of Autism Advocacy and Professional Practice at Flourish, I developed the Max has Arfid Social Visual Guide, inspired by my young son Max who has ARFID.
Many parents want to explain:
why eating can feel difficult
why some foods feel safe and others do not
why pressure can make eating harder
why sensory experiences matter
why familiar foods are important
why different environments affect eating
that their child is not “being difficult”
that safety and understanding should come first
That is why I created the Free ARFID Social Story, a visual resource designed to support understanding, reduce shame, and help children feel seen.
What the ARFID Free Social Story Teaches
The resource introduces important concepts in an accessible way, including:
what ARFID is
safe foods and trusted foods
why some foods feel too tricky to eat
listening to body signals
how busy places can affect eating
bringing familiar foods when out
why school mealtimes can feel tricky
how safety, time, and no pressure can help
It is designed to help children and the adults around them build understanding together.
Download the Free ARFID Social Story
Download the Free Autism & ARFID Social Story HERE.
Unfiltered Autistic Podcast with Teresa Foley Specialist Feeding Therapist
Listen to the podcast now wherein Teresa Foley Specialist Feeding Therapist offers information and support on Arfid,
