This chapter describes the range of eating problems seen in middle childhood (latency) and early adolescence (prepubertal or early puberty) that do not fit within 'eating disorders' as a diagnostic category. One of many developmental tasks of childhood and early adolescence is managing the transition from feeding to eating. Over a period of years children with selective eating develop an avoidance reinforced anxiety associated with new foods. There may be anticipatory nausea (with sight or smell triggers), fear of vomiting (textures) or a fear of choking. The term food avoidance emotional disorder (FAED) has mainly been used to describe cases presenting in middle childhood and early adolescence in which age group it may be more common than anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. In some children, food phobias may be a feature of more pervasive anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The range of eating disorders in children includes selective eating, food avoidance emotional disorder, functional dysphagia, and pervasive refusal syndrome. This chapter provides background information, including theories of etiology concerning early-onset anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The majority of physical changes in anorexia nervosa are predominantly related to the effects of starvation and dehydration. Herzog reported that major depressive disorder was the most prevalent comorbid disorder, occurring in 37% of patients with anorexia nervosa. The physical manifestations of bulimia nervosa are initially less dramatic than those of anorexia nervosa because weight is usually maintained within normal range. A number of other eating disorders are identified in children. Other eating disorders include food avoidance emotional disorder, selective eating and pervasive refusal syndrome. A number of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in female adult and adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa have shown structural abnormalities in the brain.