Intensive multidisciplinary feeding intervention to address malnutrition and saliva pooling in two autistic adolescents with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in autistic youth may present with heterogeneous symptoms. The present case series illustrates the treatment of two autistic adolescents with fear-based ARFID who both displayed significant regressions in feeding that led to precipitous weight loss, malnutrition, and nasogastric tube placement. Both patients refused all oral intake and had stopped swallowing saliva. Developmental and social barriers likely delayed access to care. This case series illustrates the multiple, intersecting challenges imposed by medical and developmental conditions and provides trauma-informed recommendations for clinical practice.