Overview

• Luke Simpson has begun comprehensive autism evaluations following his recent ARFID diagnosis to determine if overlapping neurodivergent traits are present
• Emily Simpson says she and husband Shane disagree on when and how to pursue autism testing, leaving her feeling isolated in her parenting decisions
• She described Luke’s heightened sensory anxiety through behaviors such as inspecting each French fry under a flashlight during a recent outing
• Medical experts define ARFID as a neurodevelopmental eating disorder driven by sensory attributes rather than body image concerns, according to the Cleveland Clinic
• Despite facing critics who linked Luke’s eating disorder to her weight loss, Emily has received encouragement from RHOC costars and other parents navigating similar challenges