Foreign doctors reveal a cautionary tale of a 12-year-old boy with a strange illness, fear of food, eating only burgers and donuts, eventually becoming permanently blind.
Foreign websites reported that a US doctor shared a cautionary tale published in an American medical journal, stating that a 12-year-old boy from Massachusetts was found to be autistic and had a severe fear of certain foods. He usually onlyate fast food such as hamburgers, French fries, donuts, and fruit juices.
At the beginning of the year, the boy began to have vision problems. His vision became blurry and darker, only in the morning and evening. Then, six weeks later, the boy could not walk by himself. He had to be supported by his parents and often bumped into the door and the wall of the house.
Until one night he woke up and began screaming, realizing he could no longer see. After being admitted to the hospital, doctors believed that the loss of vision was the result of a severe deficiency of vitamins A, C, D, copper, and zinc, which was due to the boy’s picky eating habits, which were limited in quantity.
The boy’s family said that in the two days before he was admitted to the hospital, his son had developed swelling and crusts around his eyes. They sometimes noticed him staring at the wall instead of the TV, adding that his son was a “picky eater” and avoided trying new foods or vitamins because he disliked the texture.
Doctors have described the symptoms of the condition as “Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder” (ARFID), which leads to fear of the color, taste, texture or smell of food, limiting the extent of their eating.
Despite supplements to help support the boy’s eyesight, his optic nerve is severely atrophied and he is likely to lose his vision permanently.
Doctors also pointed out that if the disease had been detected early and proper nutrition had been given, serious consequences could have been avoided. However, since it was detected too late, the boy’s vision may not have recovered.
