Jessica is a 26-month-old female who is being evaluated because she will not eat. Her parents report that she just flat out will not eat her meals. Her mother says that she has followed all the pediatrician's suggestions: she has eliminated any snacks or drinks between meals, and she has offered a variety of foods, including those that Jessica seemed to enjoy previously. Jessica is not sick; has no problems with vomiting or elimination abnormalities. Jessica's parent say that her pediatrician is not concerned, but they are not comfortable with what appears to be an almost complete absence of food intake. While considering a diagnosis of avoidant food intake disorder the PMHNP knows that any of the following would fulfill the diagnostic criteria except:
1) Avoidance of food due to a lack of interest or lack of appetite
2) Significant weight loss or failure to gain weight as expected
3) No evidence of a medical condition that would explain the lack of food intake
4) Eating a limited range of foods due to sensory sensitivities
