A girl in the UK has been diagnosed with blindness at the age of 12 due to severe picky eating, which began when she was just four years old.
Bella, a child with autism, showed extreme selectiveness in her diet from a young age. Despite her normal weight, her family doctor did not initially see a significant problem.
However, after presenting various symptoms, Bella was taken to the hospital by her parents and was diagnosed with blindness caused by a severe Vitamin A deficiency, comparable to levels found in individuals from third-world countries.
After learning about Bella's dietary habits, doctors concluded that she might have Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), a rare and dangerous eating disorder.
Her parents expressed deep regret, believing that early attention to Bella's dietary issues could have prevented the tragedy. "If we had taken her picky eating seriously from the start, perhaps she wouldn't have become blind," they said. They also advocate for comprehensive nutritional testing for children with autism who show severe picky eating, to prevent similar cases.
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