As a toddler, Stephanie began noticing that her daughter’s struggles with food went far beyond typical picky eating. But it would be years before she received an official diagnosis of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
In this episode of The Mama Sisterhood, Stephanie shares her family’s journey through years of uncertainty, therapy, and learning how to understand and support a child with ARFID. Her daughter eventually overcame the eating disorder and is now an adult, but getting there was a long road filled with challenges, questions, and plenty of misconceptions about what was really going on.
Stephanie incorporated her daughter’s experience with ARFID into her fiction novel Sad Perfect, using storytelling as a way to help educate others about the disorder and give readers who may be experiencing similar struggles a chance to see that they are not alone.
Stephanie’s story is a reminder that sometimes what looks like “just picky eating” can be something much more complex—and that understanding, support, and the right resources can make a meaningful difference.
Stephanie's website: https://stephanieelliot.wixsite.com/arfid
Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot on amazon.com
Learn more about ARFID: https://www.arfidcollaborative.com/welcome
FB groups Stephanie recommends:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561802504059071/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/408708434487042
Disclaimer: The Mama Sisterhood is a space for sharing stories, experiences, and information—not medical advice. Always talk with your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional about your individual health concerns and before making changes to your care.
