Behavioral Sciences (Jun 2023)

Food and Development: Children and Adolescents with Neurodevelopmental and Comorbid Eating Disorders—A Case Series

  • Jacopo Pruccoli,
  • Giulia Guardi,
  • Angela La Tempa,
  • Beatrice Valeriani,
  • Francesca Chiavarino,
  • Antonia Parmeggiani

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13060499
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 6
p. 499

Abstract

Read online

The impact of psychiatric comorbidities in the diagnosis and treatment of feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) represents an emerging research topic. The current literature, nonetheless, lacks studies investigating the developmental paths of individuals with FEDs and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Here, we report 11 cases of children and adolescents with comorbid FEDs and NDDs, as assessed along the neuropsychological, psychopathological, and nutritional developmental pathways. The onset of FED-related psychopathology was preceded, sometimes undiagnosed, by altered neurodevelopmental features leading to specific NDD diagnoses (autism spectrum disorder—ASD; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—ADHD; specific learning disorder—SLD). NDDs appeared to influence the diagnoses and treatments of FEDs, frequently with an impact on socio-relational and emotional premorbid features, and on the possibility to receive and attend FED-targeted treatments. Further studies should longitudinally contribute to assessing the experiences of care and neurodevelopmental pathways of children with FEDs and specific NDD comorbidities.

Keywords