Long-term enteral feeding offers hope for adults with autism-related restricted eating.
Patients with autism-related restricted eating, known as ARFID, can face severe health consequences like malnutrition and weight loss. A case study showed that traditional treatments like psychological interventions may not be effective in these cases. In a male patient with ASD and ARFID, long-term enteral feeding (LEF) through a tube in the stomach helped him gain weight, improve health, and reduce the risk of readmission. This suggests that LEF may be a beneficial option for adults with severe malnutrition due to ARFID, especially when psychological interventions alone are not enough.