Life-threatening food refusal in two nine-year-old girls: Re-thinking the Maudsley model

While there is growing evidence for the efficacy of the Maudsley model of family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa, little is known concerning the most effective treatment for pre-adolescents with Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). The presentation of case studies of children with EDNOS is important. Large-scale studies are difficult due to low incidence and the application of homogenous manualized approaches may be unsuitable to the wide range of potential disorders. The aim of this article is to present two detailed case studies of children with food avoidant emotional disorder, both presenting with life threatening food refusal. A flexible and individualized approach to family therapy was taken, resulting in the resumption of eating in less than seven weeks and four months respectively.