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Research Update

Atypical Antipsychotics May Promote Growth in Pediatric ARFID

October 1, 2026

Compiled by Carlat Editorial Staff and Reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board.

Staff members have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder can stall despite months of good therapy, leaving weight and growth stuck. Could a low-dose atypical antipsychotic help these underweight, treatment-resistant youth finally turn the corner?

SSRIs and Hydroxyzine for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)?

October 1, 2022

Joshua Feder, MD

Dr. Feder, author of this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Clinicians use olanzapine, mirtazapine, and other appetite-inducing medications off label to treat ARFID, but with little research to support their use. This study unpacks the potential role of medications in treating comorbid symptoms associated with ARFID.

Diagnosing and Treating Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

July 1, 2022

Jennifer Thomas, PhD

Jennifer J. Thomas, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.Co-director, Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Associate Editor for the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Dr. Thomas has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Nine years after DSM-5, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is still settling into clinical practice. Dr. Jennifer Thomas helps sort out the differential diagnosis between ARFID, anorexia, and other conditions and plan treatment in the context of comorbid conditions, such as anxiety disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorder.