Comportamento alimentar de criança com transtorno alimentar restritivo evitativo (TARE): um estudo de caso

Among eating disorders, Avoidant/Restrictive Eating Disorder (AED) has few studies related to sensory science. Thus, the objective was to conduct a case study on the eating behavior of a child with AED, aiming at the effectiveness of the sensory science approach in aiding treatment. Sensory interventions were implemented with a child with AED, with a diet restricted to only a dairy supplement. Initially, meetings were held with the guardians and a questionnaire was applied to identify and characterize food selectivity. Subsequently, a food frequency questionnaire was prepared, completed daily and evaluated weekly. With the help of the “Food Avoidance Deck”, the emotions that foods provoke, positive and negative thoughts and the identification of foods in likes and dislikes were identified. A cupcake workshop was held to promote gradual exposure to foods. The data obtained were analyzed through descriptive content analysis, systematic interpretation of the data and through word clouds. The results showed that gradual exposure and cognitive restructuring through sensory interventions had significant positive effects on the child's interest in food, moving from a restricted diet to consuming more than ten new foods. A more detailed understanding of the influence of sensory characteristics on TARE is suggested, as well as an understanding of the mechanisms that support the effective treatment of these individuals, through the sensory intervention schedule developed.