In a brand new interview, Emily Simpson revealed her 10-year-old son Luke’s latest prognosis with a uncommon consuming dysfunction.

The Bravo persona revealed that Luke has been recognized with Avoidant/Restrictive Meals Consumption Dysfunction (ARFID), a fancy situation that goes far past typical choosy consuming.

“He solely eats a couple of totally different meals and he’s very overwhelmed by texture, coloration, smells,” Simpson defined to PEOPLE. “He’ll solely eat white rice. And he has to examine each bit of rice earlier than he eats it. So it’s past choosy consuming. Loads of management points. It’s very overwhelming.”

Emily shared that for a very long time, she believed her son was merely a selective eater, till the indicators pointed to one thing much more severe. “He would cry and inform me he was ravenous, as a result of he was, however he’d nonetheless refuse to eat something I provided,” she mentioned. “As a mother, that was so irritating. I didn’t know what to do.”

Based on the Cleveland Clinic, ARFID is an consuming dysfunction that causes somebody to keep away from meals attributable to fears of choking, vomiting, or excessive sensitivity to meals coloration, texture, or odor. It might severely restrict dietary consumption and result in malnourishment or different well being issues. Remedy choices usually embody cognitive behavioral remedy and drugs resembling antidepressants or urge for food stimulants.

Emily admitted that every day stays a problem, however she’s realized to see the world by means of Luke’s eyes. “Smells are extraordinarily overwhelming for him. Coloration is overwhelming for him. Textures of meals are overwhelming and make him gag,” she shared. “So I’ve to consistently remind myself that he doesn’t function neurologically like we do.”

She additionally took to Instagram after the PEOPLE article was printed, thanking followers for his or her outpouring of assist.

“First, thanks a lot to your assist, kindness and love relating to Luke,” she started. “This was by far my most tough season filming ‘RHOC’ I’ve ever had, and there have been a number of instances I felt that it was in Luke’s finest curiosity for me to stop.”

“My motive for persevering with on and navigating this actually difficult time (in actual time and on digital camera) was as a result of I knew I’d get extra solutions, assist and suggestions than any therapist or physician may present,” she continued. “The Bravo followers are unbelievable and caring folks, and I wasn’t mistaken!”

Emily then inspired others to speak to their youngsters about embracing variations and exhibiting compassion. “Please speak to your youngsters about being variety to the children who could be somewhat totally different,” she added.

In a weak confessional through the July 10 episode of “The Actual Housewives of Orange County,” Emily Simpson revealed simply how extreme her son Luke’s consuming challenges have grow to be.

“Luke has all the time been a choosy eater,” Emily defined, “nevertheless it bought to the purpose over the past 12 months the place he doesn’t eat in any respect.”

Two months previous to filming, the Bravo star took Luke to a therapist in hopes of getting solutions. It was then that she realized he “undoubtedly” has ARFID.

“The nutritionist defined to me that he doesn’t perceive the sensation of starvation,” Emily advised her husband, Shane, throughout a heartfelt dialog. “Meals, generally, disgusts him.”