Because of his fear of food, a 3-year-old boy refused to eat for 17 months

A three-year-old boy from Pennsby, England, has not eaten food by mouth for 17 months because he suffers from avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

This eating disorder causes Olivier Taylor to develop a phobic fear of food due to sensory issues.

The Liverpool Echo newspaper reported that little Oliver became malnourished and dehydrated when he was two years old, due to his severe refusal to take food orally.

Due to his fear of food, Oliver spent 10 hours every night in 2023 connected to the machines that fed him, plus an additional four hours during the day.

The little boy, who has also been diagnosed with autism, remains completely dependent on his gastronomy tube which hydrates and nourishes him.

“We want to raise awareness among residents about [ce trouble alimentaire]Until the matter is better understood, said mother Emma Taylor. Contrary to some misconceptions, ARFID is not influenced by a person's beliefs about their body size and shape, and the affected person does not restrict food intake for the specific purpose of losing weight.

After four months of using the tube, Oliver underwent surgery in April to place a permanent tube directly into his stomach.

The little boy goes to a specialist every month to help him overcome his fear.

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