Melanie Potock

It’s not just picky eating.

ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, is an eating or feeding difficulty that is rooted in anxiety.  Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP is an international speaker and feeding therapist who specializes in educating speech pathologists, occupational therapists, health professionals and parents on how to help kids with ARFID.  Melanie has presented her courses on ARFID in four countries and 25 states and is now booking for 2025! Contact Melanie for more information.

Understanding the role of anxiety in extreme picky eating, in autistic children and in kids of all ages diagnosed with ARFID is key to making progress in feeding therapy.

You can learn more through several of Melanie’s on-demand courses, and by inviting her to speak at your agency or for your event.

Pediatric Feeding Disorders and Anxiety: Don’t Feed the Monster

Do you wonder if your child’s hesitancy or unwillingness to try new foods is because he or she is anxious to do so?  Could it be that anxiety is playing a bigger role for your child?  Sure, all kids can be picky, but kids with feeding issues may have extreme picky eating habits or highly selective eating.

This is your opportunity to learn about anxiety in children from one of the top experts in the field, Dr. Jonathan Dalton, founder of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change (CABC) in Rockville, MD, a private treatment center dedicated to using evidence-based treatment for patients with anxiety disorders. Joined by Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP, an international speaker and the author of four books on feeding children (especially the picky eater), the two professionals share advice for both parents and professionals.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, “Children who don’t outgrow normal picky eating, or in whom picky eating is severe, appear to more likely to develop Avoidant Restrictive Intake Disorder (ARFID)” and many kids with ARFID also have a co-occurring anxiety disorder.”

Feeding Development: Understanding the Spectrum of Eating in Children

The ONLY course in the USA taught by a pediatrician, psychologist, RDN and SLP who is an expert in pediatric feeding.  This ten-hour course includes the 2.5 hour course mentioned above (Pediatric Feeding Disorders and Anxiety: Don’t Feed the Monster) plus 7.5 hours of additional content covers feeding development in babies, toddlers and preschoolers and childhood nutrition.  This ten-hour course also includes pre-approved ASHA CEUs.

ARFID, Autism and Anxiety: The Triad that’s Not Just Picky Eating

Understanding the triad of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Autism and Pediatric Anxiety is crucial when addressing a child’s feeding difficulties.  The literature reports ARFID prevalence in the autistic population to be as high as 54%.  Studies also indicate that autistic children have a higher rate of anxiety disorders than those not on the autism spectrum.  As many as 50% of children diagnosed with ARFID have concomitant anxiety disorders.  Finally, autistic children are 5 times more likely to present with extreme picky eating than those not on the spectrum.

When treating children for feeding challenges, therapists must understand the nuances of anxiety, the spectrum of picky eating, and the overlap between ARFID, ASD and anxiety disorders. This course aims to provide foundational strategies for picky eaters, more hesitant eaters and the most extreme anxious eaters, while respecting the accommodations that may be needed for autistic children. This course also includes pre-approved ASHA CEUs.

Live, In-Person Masterclasses

Book Melanie for your event to share her most popular Masterclass, ARFID: The Anxious Eater.  Four house of captivating, practical strategies that parents and therapists can use right away to help their most anxious eaters.  Learn more here, and contact Melanie@MyMunchBug.com for more information.  (Melanie is typically booked 6 months in advance, so please don’t delay in contacting her for your event.)

Book a virtual ARFID Masterclass for your agency!

Clinics and hospitals can book a private 4-hour virtual ARFID Masterclass for the date of their choice by contacting Melanie@MyMunchBug.com for special pricing.

Virtual ARFID Masterclass Wait List

Melanie offers her popular ARFID: The Anxious Eater Masterclass 4 to 6 times per year, but limits the audience to just 22 seats for optimal learning and discussion.  The virtual opportunities often fill immediately once posted, but you can be alerted before the course is announced publicly just be emailing Melanie@MyMunchBug.com to request being put on the waiting list for “early notice” of the virtual ARFID Masterclass.