Episode 104 - Stephanie's Story - When It's More Than Picky Eating: Stephanie’s Story of ARFID

<p>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).</p><p>In this episode of <em>The Mama Sisterhood</em>, 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.</p><p>Stephanie incorporated her daughter’s experience with ARFID into her fiction novel <em>Sad Perfect</em>, 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.</p><p>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.</p><p><br></p><p>Stephanie&#39;s website: https://stephanieelliot.wixsite.com/arfid</p><p><em><strong>Sad Perfect</strong></em> by Stephanie Elliot on amazon.com</p><p>Learn more about ARFID: <a href="https://www.arfidcollaborative.com/welcome" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.arfidcollaborative.com/welcome</a></p><p> FB groups Stephanie recommends:</p><p>https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561802504059071/</p><p>https://www.facebook.com/groups/408708434487042</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Disclaimer:</strong> 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.</p><p><br></p>