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Food hoarding is when a person gathers and stores food for later use. It is common in children from backgrounds of abandonment and poverty, and can be a sign of reactive attachment disorder. Experts recommend a gradual treatment strategy, making food more accessible and building trust with the child.
Broadly speaking, food hoarding can be defined as any behavior where a person tries to gather quantities of food and store it for later use. More specifically, when people refer to food hoarding, they are generally talking about a common behavior problem with children from a background of abandonment. These babies often hide food in different areas around the house, including closets or under beds. This is generally considered a natural reaction to certain situations that a child may experience if they grow up in an environment of extreme poverty or parental irresponsibility. Food hoarding is often a long-term effect of a psychiatric condition called reactive attachment disorder that initially affects children.
In many cases, food hoarding behavior may first be noticed in children who move into foster homes after being taken away from their original parents. Most experts say the behavior is a sign that the child doesn’t trust his new parents. Children in this context may fear the possibility of being abandoned, or they may fear that their new guardians may suddenly decide they are not important enough to deserve food. In many cases, children who exhibit hoarding behaviors may also overeat at mealtimes for the same reasons.
Most experts recommend a very gradual treatment strategy for food hoarding. New parents are generally advised to avoid any temptation to try to block their child’s access to food. This could potentially reinforce the behavior by essentially confirming the child’s suspicion and distrust. The overall approach to treatment often involves making food even more accessible. For example, parents can set up some sort of food storage in their child’s bedroom and help keep them stocked with food. Most experts suggest being patient and showing a lot of sensitivity as a way to help build your child’s trust in their new guardians.
Common backgrounds of children displaying this disorder include those who have been homeless and those with drug abusing parents. Some experts consider food hoarding to be a symptom of reactive attachment disorder in older children. There are several early symptoms that can appear before food hoarding develops, including a general detachment and a lack of certain social skills.
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