My name is Jodie Gordon and I am 15 years old, I have a complex neurological profile which includes Autism with a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile ,ADHD and ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) which has left me fully reliant on a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy. ARFID is actually what this petition is being made for, to address the significant gaps in diagnosing and support with ARFID which has left many people calling it a "Postcode Lottery".

ARFID is classified as a mental illness in the DSM-5 and is categorized under Feeding and Eating Disorders. ARFID is characterized by a lack of interest in eating, sensory sensitivity, and/or a fear of aversive consequences. It is typically diagnosed when there is Significant weight loss and/or faltering growth ,nutritional deficiencies, dependence on enteral feeding or oral nutritional supplements (ONS), or a marked interference with psychological functioning.   The eating disturbance must not be better explained by lack of food, cultural practises, or another medical or mental health disorder such as Anorexia or Bulimia.

Something very commonly noted by  individuals with ARFID and/or their parents is the sheer lack of consistency with ARFID support throughout districts, one district may have sufficient support and be accepting of the use of enteral feeding for ARFID when the need is expressed, whereas just 10 minutes away in another district, the outcome for somebody with ARFID may turn out significantly different and result in the young person being wrongly sectioned and accused of trying to 'manipulate' the workers into believing there is no present body image concerns when there truly is not/being non-compliant with treatment.

  I have been one of those people who have had to fight the system just to get support that everybody should be entitled to, but unfortunately that is not the case with ARFID. It truly is a fight that never ends, my goal with this petition is to have the NHS and organisations such as NICE (National Institute of health and Care Excellence) and SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) come together to produce official nationwide ARFID guidelines including a more in-depth diagnostic criteria, a proper example indicative care plan to ensure that no individual with ARFID is wrongly sectioned or withheld essential enteral feeding/nutritional supplements, and provide training to hospitals to ensure that everybody is met with understanding instead of having to witness the person who you have asked for support, google "What is ARFID?" in front of your eyes.