EATING DISORDERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTIONS AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Abstract

Eating disorders in early childhood represent a complex clinical phenomenon that integrates medical, sensory-motor, emotional, and psychosocial components. The aim of this article is to provide an integrative analysis of contemporary scientific approaches to understanding and treating feeding and eating disturbances in young children, particularly within the frameworks of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD). The methodological basis of the study is a systematic review of publications from 2010 to 2024 indexed in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases, using the key terms «PFD», «ARFID», «feeding difficulties in childhood», «oral-motor dysfunction», and «multidisciplinary intervention». The paper presents a comparative analysis of the diagnostic criteria for ARFID and PFD, identifying their shared features-sensory hypersensitivity, oral-motor immaturity, and behavioral rigidity-while outlining the conceptual distinctions between psychiatric and biopsychosocial models of feeding disorders. Particular attention is given to multidisciplinary clinical interventions, including sensory desensitization, behavioral strategies, parent coaching, and interprofessional coordination within a «feeding team» framework. The study emphasizes the role of family context and parenting style as determinants of feeding behavior.

The results of the review indicate that the effective management of pediatric feeding disorders requires comprehensive assessment, early intervention, and coordinated collaboration among professionals from multiple disciplines. Future directions include the implementation of evidence-based practices from implementation science and the adaptation of culturally sensitive therapeutic models to improve access to care for children with feeding disorders