09/07/2025
Feeding is complex.
Feeding development begins in infancy and continues through childhood, involving four interconnected domains: medical, feeding skill, psychosocial, and nutrition.
When something disrupts this system, it can lead to pediatric feeding disorder (PFD). The complexity deepens with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a mental health diagnosis that overlaps significantly with PFD.
With all of this complexity, we continue to face one of our greatest challenges: public perception.
Too many people still believe that feeding is automatic, that picky eating is the result of parenting decisions or “in their head”, or that a child’s place on a growth chart means everything is fine. These misconceptions leave thousands – if not millions – of children undiagnosed, overlooked, and struggling.
At Feeding Matters, we’ve long been committed to system change, not just for families and individuals today but for generations to come.
