Children attempting to swallow different food textures often vomit, gag, or choke while eating. At feeding times they may react negatively to attempts to feed them, and refuse to eat. Other symptoms include head turns, crying, difficulty in chewing or vomiting and spitting whilst eating. Many children may have feeding difficulties and may be picky eaters, but most of them still have a fairly healthy diet. Children with a feeding disorder however, will completely abandon some of the food groups, textures, or liquids that are necessary for human growth and development

Children with this disorder can develop much more slowly because of their lack of nutritional intake. In severe cases the child seems to feel socially isolated because of the lack of social activities involving foods.

Feeding disorder has been divided into six further sub-types:

1. Feeding disorder of state regulation

2. Feeding disorder of reciprocity (neglect)

3. Infantile anorexia

4. Sensory food aversion

5. Feeding disorder associated with concurrent medical condition

6. Post-traumatic feeding disorder

The fifth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5) renamed "Feeding Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood" to Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, and broadened the diagnostic criteria. Previously defined as a disorder exclusive to children and adolescents, the DSM-5 broadened the disorder to include adults who limit their eating and are affected by related physiological or psychological problems, but who do not fall under the definition of another eating disorder.

The DSM-5 defines the following diagnostic criteria:

- Disturbance in eating or feeding, as evidenced by one or more of:

- Substantial weight loss (or, in children, absence of expected weight gain)

- Nutritional deficiency

- Dependence on a feeding tube or dietary supplements

- Significant psychosocial interference

- Disturbance not due to unavailability of food, or to observation of cultural norms

- Disturbance not due to anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, and no evidence of disturbance in experience of body shape or weight

- Disturbance not better explained by another medical condition or mental disorder, or when occurring concurrently with another condition, the disturbance exceeds what is normally caused by that condition

In previous years, the DSM was not inclusive in recognizing all of the challenges associated with feeding and eating disorders in 3 main domains:

- Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) was an all-inclusive, placeholder group for all individuals that presented challenges with feeding

- The category of Feeding Disorder of Infancy/ Early Childhood was noted to be too broad, limiting specification when treating these behaviors

- There are children and youth who present feeding challenges but do not fit within any existing categories to date

Children are often picky eaters, this does not necessarily mean they meet the criteria for an ARFID diagnosis. In addition, self-identification as having ARFID may contribute to ARFID.

Sufferers of ARFID have an inability to eat certain foods. "Safe" foods may be limited to certain food types and even specific brands. In some cases, afflicted individuals will exclude whole food groups, such as fruits or vegetables. Sometimes excluded foods can be refused based on color. Some may only like very hot or very cold foods, very crunchy or hard-to-chew foods, or very soft foods, or avoid sauces.

Most sufferers of ARFID will still maintain a healthy or normal body weight. There are no specific outward appearances associated with ARFID. Sufferers can experience physical gastrointestinal reactions to adverse foods such as retching, vomiting or gagging. Some studies have identified symptoms of social avoidance due to their eating habits. Most, however, would change their eating habits if they could.

The condition is characterised by aversive reactions to feeding and oral stimulation including Co-Symptoms. It can occur one week after tube insertion.

- Food refusal/Head turning

- Loss of appetite/disinterest

- Oversensitivity for touching, smelling, tasting food

- Nausea

- Gagging

- Retching

- Vomiting

- Anxiety attacks

Tube dependency refers to the process in which an individual becomes dependent on a feeding tube for nutrition. While the term technically refers to any individual who requires enteral feeding for nutrition, some practitioners specifically use this term for patients, primarily children, who are medically capable of eating by mouth but have been unable to wean from a feeding tube due to non-medical causes, which may be behavioral, sensory, or motoric in nature.

Children with a tic disorder may exhibit the following symptoms:

- overwhelming urge to make movement

- jerking of arms

- clenching of fists

- excessive eye blinking

- shrugging of shoulders

- kicking

- raising eyebrows

- flaring of nostrils

- production of repetitive noises such as grunting, clicking, moaning, snorting, squealing, or throat clearing

Children with Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders may show the following symptoms:

- impulsivity or distractibility

- difficulty socializing

- aggressive behavior

- difficulty following rules or directions

- difficulty completing a task

- problems at school

- frustration

- alcohol or drug use

The five OSFED examples that can be considered eating disorders include atypical AN, BN (of low frequency and/or limited duration), BED (of low frequency and/or limited duration), purging disorder, and NES. Of note, OSFED is not limited to these five examples, and can include individuals with heterogeneous eating disorder presentations (i.e., OSFED-other). Another term, Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED), is used to describe individuals for whom full diagnostic criteria are not met but the reason remains unspecified or the clinician does not have adequate information to make a more definitive diagnosis.

- Atypical Anorexia Nervosa: In atypical AN, individuals meet all of the criteria for AN, with the exception of the weight criterion: the individual's weight remains within or above the normal range, despite significant weight loss.

- Atypical Bulimia Nervosa: In this sub-threshold version of BN, individuals meet all criteria for BN, with the exception of the frequency criterion: binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors occur, on average, less than once a week and/or for fewer than 3 months.

- Binge-eating disorder (of low frequency and/or limited duration): In this sub-threshold version of BED, individuals must meet all criteria for BED, with the exception of the frequency criterion: binge eating occurs, on average, less than once a week and/or for fewer than 3 months.

- Purging Disorder: In purging disorder, purging behavior aimed to influence weight or shape is present, but in the absence of binge eating.

- Night Eating Syndrome: In NES, individuals have recurrent episodes of eating at night, such as eating after awakening from sleep or excess calorie intake after the evening meal. This eating behavior is not culturally acceptable by group norms, such as the occasional late-night munchies after a gathering. NES includes an awareness and recall of the eating, is not better explained by external influences such as changes in the individual's sleep-wake cycle, and causes significant distress and/or impairment of functioning. Though not defined specifically in "DSM-5", research criteria for this diagnosis proposed adding the following criteria (1) the consumption of at least 25% of daily caloric intake after the evening meal and/or (2) evening awakenings with ingestions at least twice per week.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder or OSFED is the "DSM-5" category that replaces the category formerly called Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) in "DSM-IV", and that captures feeding disorders and eating disorders of clinical severity that do not meet diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), pica, or rumination disorder. OSFED includes five examples: atypical AN, BN (of low frequency and/or limited duration), BED (of low frequency and/or limited duration), purging disorder, and night eating syndrome (NES).

Purging disorder is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent purging (self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas) to control weight or shape in the absence of binge eating episodes.

Purging disorder differs from bulimia nervosa (BN) because individuals with purging disorder do not consume a large amount of food before they purge. In current diagnostic systems, purging disorder is a form of Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). Research indicates that purging disorder may be as common as bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa in women, that the syndrome is associated with clinically significant levels of distress, and that it appears to be distinct from bulimia nervosa on measures of hunger and ability to control food intake. Some of the signs of purging disorder are frequent trips to the bathroom directly after a meal, frequent use of laxatives, and obsession over one's appearance and weight. Other signs include swollen cheeks, popped blood vessels in the eyes, and clear teeth which are all signs of excessive vomiting.

NES is sometimes comorbid with excess weight; as many as 28% of individuals seeking gastric bypass surgery were found to suffer from NES in one study. However, not all individuals with NES are overweight. Night eating has been associated with diabetic complications. Many people with NES also experience depressed mood and anxiety disorders.

Night eating syndrome (NES) is an eating disorder, characterized by a delayed circadian pattern of food intake. Although there is some degree of comorbidity with binge eating disorder, it differs from binge eating in that the amount of food consumed in the evening/night is not necessarily objectively large nor is a loss of control over food intake required. It was originally described by Dr. Albert Stunkard in 1955 and is currently included in the other specified feeding or eating disorder category of the DSM-5. Research diagnostic criteria have been proposed and include evening hyperphagia (consumption of 25% or more of the total daily calories after the evening meal) and/or nocturnal awakening and ingestion of food two or more times per week. The person must have awareness of the night eating to differentiate it from the parasomnia sleep-related eating disorder (SRED). Three of five associated symptoms must also be present: lack of appetite in the morning, urges to eat in the evening/at night, belief that one must eat in order to fall back to sleep at night, depressed mood, and/or difficulty sleeping.

NES affects both men and women, between 1 and 2% of the general population, and approximately 10% of obese individuals. The age of onset is typically in early adulthood (spanning from late teenage years to late twenties) and is often long-lasting, with children rarely reporting NES. People with NES have been shown to have higher scores for depression and low self-esteem, and it has been demonstrated that nocturnal levels of the hormones melatonin and leptin are decreased. The relationship between NES and the parasomnia SRED is in need of further clarification. There is debate as to whether these should be viewed as separate diseases, or part of a continuum. Consuming foods containing serotonin has been suggested to aid in the treatment of NES, but other research indicates that diet by itself cannot appreciably raise serotonin levels in the brain. A few foods (for example, bananas) contain serotonin, but they do not affect brain serotonin levels, and various foods contain tryptophan, but the extent to which they affect brain serotonin levels must be further explored scientifically before conclusions can be drawn, and "the idea, common in popular culture, that a high-protein food such as turkey will raise brain tryptophan and serotonin is, unfortunately, false."

The three general categories for an EDNOS diagnosis are subthreshold symptoms of anorexia or bulimia, a mixture of both anorexia or bulimia, and eating behaviors that are not particularized by anorexia and bulimia. EDNOS is no longer considered a diagnosis in "DSM-5"; those displaying symptoms of what would previously have been considered EDNOS are now classified under Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder.

Eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) is an eating disorder that does not meet the criteria for: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating. Individuals with EDNOS usually fall into one of three groups: sub-threshold symptoms of anorexia or bulimia, mixed features of both disorders, or extremely atypical eating behaviors that are not characterized by either of the other established disorders.

People with EDNOS have similar symptoms and behaviors to those with anorexia and bulimia, and can face the same dangerous risks.

EDNOS is the most prevalent eating disorder; about 60% of adults treated for eating disorders are diagnosed with EDNOS. EDNOS occurs in both sexes.

Tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome is one particular form of intractable diarrhea of infancy, presenting typically in the first month of life. These babies were usually born small for their age and continue to experience failure to thrive, usually with a final short stature. Typical facial features include prominent forehead and cheeks, a broad nasal root and widely spaced eyes (hypertelorism). Their hairs are woolly, easily removed and poorly pigmented. Liver disease is mainly present as cirrhosis or fibrosis, and staining might reveal high iron content of the liver cells (consistent with hemochromatosis). Most evaluated patients had some degree of decrease in intelligence.

Tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome (THE), also known as syndromic or phenotypic diarrhea, is an extremely rare congenital bowel disorder which manifests itself as intractable diarrhea in infants with intrauterine growth retardation, hair and facial abnormalities. Many also have liver disease and abnormalities of the immune system. The associated malabsorption leads to malnutrition and failure to thrive.

It is thought to be a genetic disorder with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, although responsible genes have not been found and the exact cause remains unknown. Prognosis is poor; many patients die before the age of 5 (mainly from infections or cirrhosis), although most patients nowadays survive with intravenous feeding (parenteral nutrition).

Microcephaly is a disorder in which the circumference of the head is smaller than average for the person's age and gender. Most children with microcephaly also have a smaller than typical brain and intellectual disability. Some of the most common signs and symptoms associated with microcephaly are seizures, poor feeding, high pitched cry, intellectual disability, developmental delay, and increased movement of arms and legs.

Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is a congenital oral anomaly that may decrease mobility of the tongue tip and is caused by an unusually short, thick lingual frenulum, a membrane connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Ankyloglossia varies in degree of severity from mild cases characterized by mucous membrane bands to complete ankyloglossia whereby the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth.

Ankyloglossia can affect eating, speech, and oral hygiene as well as have mechanical/social effects. Ankyloglossia can also prevent the tongue from contacting the anterior palate. This can then promote an infantile swallow and hamper the progression to an adult-like swallow which can result in an open bite deformity. It can also result in mandibular prognathism; this happens when the tongue contacts the anterior portion of the mandible with exaggerated anterior thrusts.

Many children with 1p36 deletion syndrome have oropharyngeal dysphagia which is characterized by difficulty in initiating a swallow. Some of the other feeding issues include poor sucking and swallowing, reflux, and vomiting in infancy. Many require nasalgastric or gastric tubes to ensure they are receiving sufficient nutrition.

Megaesophagus, also known as esophageal dilatation, is a disorder of the esophagus in humans and other mammals, whereby the esophagus becomes abnormally enlarged. Megaesophagus may be caused by any disease which causes the muscles of the esophagus to fail to properly propel food and liquid from the mouth into the stomach (that is, a failure of peristalsis). Food can become lodged in the flaccid esophagus, where it may decay, be regurgitated, or may be inhaled into the lungs (leading to aspiration pneumonia).

Hypotonic patients may display a variety of objective manifestations that indicate decreased muscle tone. Motor skills delay is often observed, along with hypermobile or hyperflexible joints, drooling and speech difficulties, poor reflexes, decreased strength, decreased activity tolerance, rounded shoulder posture, with leaning onto supports, and poor attention. The extent and occurrence of specific objective manifestations depends upon the age of the patient, the severity of the hypotonia, the specific muscles affected, and sometimes the underlying cause. For instance, some people with hypotonia may experience constipation, while others have no bowel problems.

Congenital tufting enteropathy is an inherited disorder of the small intestine that presents with intractable diarrhea in young children.

Hypotonia, commonly known as floppy baby syndrome, is a state of low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to stretch in a muscle), often involving reduced muscle strength. Hypotonia is not a specific medical disorder, but a potential manifestation of many different diseases and disorders that affect motor nerve control by the brain or muscle strength. Hypotonia is resistance to passive movement, whereas muscle weakness results in impaired active movement. Central hypotonia originates from the central nervous system, while peripheral hypotonia is related to problems within the spinal cord, peripheral nerves and/or skeletal muscles. Recognizing hypotonia, even in early infancy, is usually relatively straightforward, but diagnosing the underlying cause can be difficult and often unsuccessful. The long-term effects of hypotonia on a child's development and later life depend primarily on the severity of the muscle weakness and the nature of the cause. Some disorders have a specific treatment but the principal treatment for most hypotonia of idiopathic or neurologic cause is physical therapy, occupational therapy for remediation, and/or music therapy.

Hypotonia is thought to be associated with the disruption of input from stretch receptors and/or lack of the cerebellum’s facilitatory efferent influence on the fusimotor system, the system that innervates intrafusal muscle fibers thereby controlling muscle spindle sensitivity. On examination a diminished resistance to passive movement will be noted and muscles may feel abnormally soft and limp on palpation. Diminished deep tendon reflexes also may be noted. Hypotonia is a condition that can be helped with early intervention.