A 3-year-old toddler who was terrified of food refused to eat for 17 months

A three-year-old boy from Pensby, England, has not taken food by mouth for 17 months because he suffers from avoidant control feeding disorder (ARFID).

This eating disorder causes Oliver Taylor to have a phobic fear of food due to sensory issues.

When he was two years old, the Liverpool Echo reported that little Oliver was diagnosed with malnutrition and dehydration.

Fearing food, Oliver spends 10 hours a night in 2023 with machines that feed him, plus an extra four hours during the day.

A young boy with autism is completely dependent on his gastronomy tube to hydrate and nourish him.

“We want to raise awareness among the population [ce trouble alimentaire], so that it is well understood, Emma Taylor, the mother. Contrary to some misconceptions, ARFID is not influenced by a person's beliefs about their body size and shape, and the sufferer does not restrict their diet for the specific purpose of losing weight.

After four months with the tube, Oliver had surgery in April to have a permanent tube placed directly into his stomach.

The little boy sees a specialist every month to overcome his fear.

“Yes, thanks to the feeding tube he regained a third of his weight in 12 months, but you can imagine the impact on him and his family. He always gets stressed about food and we miss many moments like family meals or birthday parties,” added his mother.