A JERSEY mother is calling for urgent changes to how the Island supports people with a little-known eating disorder after a 15-year struggle to get a diagnosis for her daughter.
Penny Chapman’s daughter Lily, who is 20 and has autism, was diagnosed in 2020 with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder – known as ARFID – following a private consultation in the UK.
Ms Chapman is now urging the Government to create a clear pathway for ARFID diagnosis and treatment, train professionals, and provide long-term family support.
“We do not have a pathway in Jersey, and we do not have the trained staff in Jersey to manage ARFID,” she said.
ARFID is a recognised eating disorder marked by extreme anxiety around food, overwhelming sensory sensitivity, or fear of choking or vomiting. It is often misunderstood and, according to Ms Chapman, professionals have frequently failed to recognise the signs.
“Some professionals still think that you can’t have an eating disorder because you haven’t got a low body weight,” she said.
Ms Chapman understands that her daughter was only the second person in Jersey to have received an official diagnosis because she opted to seek help in the UK – but she believes there are likely to be many more.
A support group she set up for affected families has attracted dozens of members.
There are no concrete plans for a dedicated ARFID support service in Jersey, though Mental Health Director Andy Weir confirmed to the JEP that a review of the pathways for all eating disorder support is currently underway.
He said that this review will “include considering both a child and adult pathway for ARFID”.
Deputy Catherine Curtis, who chairs the political panel responsible for scrutinising children’s mental health policy, said she felt “proper recognition of this condition could help a lot of children and families”.
She said she was “very pleased” that some progress was being made.
- Read the full interview with Penny Chapman here.
