Health
Little-known eating disorder nearly starved a 9-year-old: 'It was tormenting her'
Of the list of eating disorders, ARFID might not be one that you recognize – but it can be just as dangerous as the better-known conditions.
ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as a condition that limits a person’s food intake. It is recognized in the DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses by the American Psychiatric Association).
The disorder is marked by intense fear and anxiety about food and its specific qualities – like smell, taste and texture – or the consequences of eating, such as choking.
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Limiting food intake at an extreme level can lead to malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, which 9-year-old Hannah of Los Angeles has experienced.
Hannah and her mom, Michelle, (who chose not to disclose their last name) sat down for an interview with Fox News Digital to discuss their journey with ARFID, which has included a prominent social media presence.
On Instagram, the duo has 1.5 million followers. Their TikTok account (@myarfidlife), features videos of Hannah bravely trying new foods, which have reached millions of views among nearly 460,000 followers.
Long before Hannah began sharing her journey on camera, Michelle struggled with what she thought was just a “picky eater.”
“I realized this was way more than just picky eating. This was obviously tormenting her.”
Michelle explained that Hannah, who is the youngest of three, was a “great eater” as a baby — until she was introduced to solid foods.
“She would protest, and she would spit the food out, or she would swat it out of my hand, or she would turn her head in the other direction,” she said — all “pretty common” behaviors among kids.
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But by the time Hannah turned 3, Michelle said she had started refusing even the select foods she once ate.
“It was very frustrating for us because she was already so limited as to what she was willing to eat,” she said.
Michelle, pictured here with her husband and three children, noted that Hannah’s case looked “very different” from her oldest son, who is autistic and had a hard time eating as a newborn. (@myarfidlife)
Since Hannah was still growing normally, her doctors “weren’t too concerned,” and assumed she’d grow out of the picky eating.
After COVID-19 hit, Michelle said Hannah’s eating took a turn for the worse, and she eliminated even more food.
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“It was a big struggle to get her to eat anything at all,” she said. “She had no interest in food whatsoever, and her growth started to slow down.”
Hannah’s doctors ran tests to see if there was another health condition, such as IBS or celiac disease. She was referred to other specialists, from endocrinologists to nutritionists.
Hannah was also seeing a feeding therapist, which caused “a lot of stress and anxiety,” her mother noted.
Hannah, pictured with her mom Michelle, shared that she likes to draw, read and write, and play with slime. (@myarfidlife)
The doctors instructed Michelle to continue offering Hannah food when she was hungry, but her daughter’s condition only worsened.
“She couldn’t handle being around food,” she said. “She couldn’t handle sitting at the dinner table with us. She couldn’t handle the smell when I was cooking something in the kitchen.”
As Hannah got older, she didn’t grow out of the condition, but was able to verbalize her internal struggle.
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“We were in a drive-thru and I asked [Hannah], ‘What would you like me to order?’ And she broke down at that moment and asked me, ‘Why is it that every time you talk about food, it makes me really anxious?’” Michelle recalled.
“Hearing those words … I realized that this was way more than just picky eating. This was obviously tormenting her.”
Seeking help and ‘validation’
Michelle decided to seek help from a mental health care professional and found a therapist who specialized in ARFID. She said their first conversation was “so validating.”
“I remember saying to her, ‘She has very few foods that she’s willing to eat. And one of the foods is sour cream and onion Pringles, but they have to be in a special packaging. She refuses to eat the Pringles that come in the large container. They have to come in the individual small containers.’”
“And hearing the words from her — ‘This is so classic of ARFID’ — was so validating.”
The “psycho-social interference” of ARFID can be difficult in social settings, like at school and parties, according to an eating disorder expert. Hannah, pictured with her brothers, is living with the condition. (@myarfidlife)
The therapist first recommended nutritional protein shakes, which were difficult for Hannah to stomach.
But Hannah, who was dangerously underweight, told her mother, “I don’t want to live like this anymore.”
“She was at risk of needing a feeding tube,” Michelle told Fox News Digital. “She fell off the growth chart and wasn’t gaining weight. She wasn’t growing in height.”
“I don’t want to live like this anymore.”
“She just wasn’t getting the nutrition she needed. She was very weak, lethargic and sleeping a lot.”
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Michelle tried fun ways to get Hannah to drink the shakes, like timing her and seeing if she could beat her previous record.
Next, Michelle suggested taking a video of Hannah drinking her shake to send to her new therapist.
Hannah was immediately interested in how her therapist would respond.
Hannah says her famous tagline, “Here I go,” before taking a bite of food in her videos. (TikTok/@myarfidlife)
Michelle then decided to share the video online to help clue in friends and family about what Hannah was dealing with, and to help explain why she wasn’t able to attend holidays or birthday parties due to the presence of food.
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Since that first post, Hannah and Michelle’s social media following has skyrocketed, with thousands of strangers cheering on and motivating Hannah.
“Hannah’s grown so much physically and emotionally. Her confidence has soared,” Michelle said. “She’s a completely different kid.”
“There’s curiosity and motivation and excitement — definitely still a lot of anxiety, but she’s working through it.”
Hannah and Michelle are pictured wearing “Here I Go” T-shirts, which are on sale to help promote ARFID awareness. (@myarfidlife)
Now 9, Hannah is using her platform to spread ARFID awareness and share tips she learns in therapy.
“Many people since we started our page have discovered that this is what they’ve dealt with their whole life,” Michelle said.
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“It’s just really nice to meet other people who can understand each other and share stories.”
Hannah added that the encouragement she gets online helps motivate her to try new foods.
“It makes me really happy because I know I’m helping other people,” she told Fox News Digital. “And I’m also helping myself, too.”
Hannah shared that she feels proud of her continuous bravery.
“I feel good,” she said. “I’m really energetic today.”
Tips for overcoming ARFID
During her sessions, Hannah undergoes exposure therapy as well as talk therapy.
“We do breathing exercises and coping skills,” she said. “We also try different foods.”
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Taylor Rae Homesley, executive director of The Emily Program’s Atlanta-based Eating Disorder Treatment Center, works with ARFID patients.
She shared more details on the condition in an interview with Fox News Digital.
While symptoms may vary, limited food intake based on texture or food group, is a standout sign, one expert said. (iStock)
Since ARFID was coined as a “new term to describe something that’s existed for a long time,” Homesley said it has brought more awareness to the condition and how best to treat it.
There are three types of ARFID symptoms that parents should look for in their children, according to Homesley.
1. Fear of consequences
“I’m afraid I’m going to throw up, I’m afraid I’m going to get a stomachache, I’m afraid I’m going to choke,” the expert listed as examples.
2. Lack of interest in eating or food
“These are kids and adults who just aren’t motivated by food,” she said.
“They’re the ones who may be playing outside for hours and hours and don’t think, ‘It’s time to eat now.’”
3. Avoidance of food based on sensory characteristics
“These are the kids and adults who are super limited in what they’re eating due to those sensory things,” Homesley said.
“They may have aversions to taste, texture, smell or temperature of food.”
“[ARFID] needs to be treated differently and recognized as a different eating disorder,” one specialist said. (iStock)
“A lot of our patients with ARFID are what we consider super tasters,” the therapist added. “They taste bitter flavors at a higher intensity than the rest of us.”
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Treatment is still being developed for ARFID, but methods like cognitive behavioral therapy have proven helpful, according to Homesley.
Michelle noted that ARFID needs “a lot more awareness” and community building, which led her to start the ARFID Awareness nonprofit.
“Help is not readily available, and it’s very unfortunate because ARFID is lifelong, and it’s something that does require treatment,” she said.
“I feel like bringing community together and using our voices [is important] so that people see there’s a need.”
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Amid warnings of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, health experts say that early recognition of symptoms can mean the difference between a quick recovery and life-threatening complications, especially for high-risk groups.
New York City health officials are urging anyone who has visited the east side of Central Park or Manhattan’s Upper East Side since late June to watch for symptoms.
As of July 6, the New York City Health Department had confirmed 23 cases and 17 hospitalizations associated with the respiratory infection. No deaths have been reported.
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Officials are investigating contaminated cooling towers as the likely source. They have emphasized that the illness is not spread person-to-person and is not linked to the city’s drinking water.
Health experts say that early recognition of symptoms can mean the difference between a quick recovery and life-threatening complications, especially for high-risk groups. (iStock)
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin in a press release. “New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke or people with chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin.”
What is Legionnaires’?
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments, but can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to the CDC.
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That can include shower heads, sink faucets, hot tubs, water features/fountains, plumbing systems and other water systems.
When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill.
Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically transmitted among people, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of infection
Infections can lead to severe pneumonia in older people and those with compromised immune systems, according to Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital on Long Island, New York.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease usually show up between two and 14 days after exposure.
New York City health officials are urging anyone who has visited the east side of Central Park or Manhattan’s Upper East Side since late June to watch for symptoms. (iStock)
“Legionella infections cause symptoms that are similar to other forms of pneumonia — fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain,” Handel previously told Fox News Digital.
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early.”
The signs are similar to other types of pneumonia, and include the following:
- Cough
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches and headaches
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Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted.
Diagnosis, treatment and prevention
A medical professional can diagnose the infection with laboratory tests and chest X-rays.
The condition is typically treated with antibiotics. In cases of severe infection, hospitalization may be required for breathing support and IV hydration.
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a healthcare facility, according to the CDC.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments, but can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“Treatment needs to be early and aggressive,” Dr. Nathan Goodyear, an Arizona-based integrative medicine expert, previously told Fox News Digital. “Legionella infection is an intracellular infection that requires antibiotic treatment.”
Antibiotics that are appropriate for Legionella infection include Levofloxacin and Azithromycin.
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“Therapy can be prescribed orally in healthy individuals… but intravenous antibiotics often prove to be the initial option for treatment secondary to the pathogenicity of the disease,” Goodyear said.
Currently, there are no vaccines for Legionnaires’ disease.
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The best strategy to prevent infection is to reduce the growth and spread of the Legionella bacteria. The CDC recommends that building owners and managers use a water management program to reduce the risk.
“New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke or people with chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin,” city officials stated. (iStock)
To prevent serious illness from Legionnaires’, Goodyear recommends that all smokers kick the habit, and also emphasizes the need to “aggressively support” chronic pulmonary disease.
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“Increasing immune support (vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc) is required to counter the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.”
Obesity is another foundational risk factor for all chronic inflammatory diseases, the doctor added.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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