In this episode of Full of Beans, Hannah is joined by Sarah Woodruff, mum to Grace and 1/3 of the podcast 3Mums1MissionARFID. Sarah co-created the podcast after feeling deeply isolated navigating her daughter’s eating difficulties, wanting to create a space where parents could hear stories that reflected their own and feel less alone.

In this conversation, Sarah shares Grace’s journey in more depth, including the years of uncertainty, dismissal, escalation, and the ongoing reality of supporting a child with ARFID and autism.

This episode is for parents, carers, and SEN professionals who are feeling unheard or wondering whether they’re “overreacting.” It offers reassurance that you’re not imagining it, permission to trust your instincts, and comfort in knowing that others have walked a similar path. Above all, it’s a reminder that ARFID is complex, individual, and never a result of bad parenting.

Key takeaways:

• What ARFID can look like beyond early childhood
• Why the term “late-onset ARFID” deserves questioning.
• How autism, sensory overwhelm and anxiety can affect eating
• Why emetophobia (fear of vomiting) can make eating feel genuinely unsafe
• How school stress and transitions can exacerbate ARFID in children
• How ARFID differs from “fussy eating”
• How food avoidance can lead to weight loss, distress, or social isolation
• How lowering pressure around food can support ARFID recovery
• The power of parental intuition, even when professionals dismiss concerns

Timestamps:

• 02:50 Grace’s early eating and when things began to change
• 07:40 Anxiety, school stress, and the escalation of food restriction
• 10:10 ARFID, emetophobia, and reaching crisis point
• 13:30 Hospital care, NG tube feeding, and diagnosis
• 22:50 Autism, masking, and questioning “late-onset” ARFID
• 29:00 What helped: reducing pressure and rebuilding safety
• 36:20 A message for parents who are questioning themselves

Resources & Links

• Listen to the 3Mums1Mission ARFID Podcast

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe to the Full of Beans Podcast
• Follow Full of Beans on Instagram
• Listen on YouTube

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Mentions of eating disorders, ARFID, NG tube feeding. Please take care when listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help us spread awareness.

Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛