Family of autistic six-year-old girl who only eats KFC popcorn chicken obtain GP’s note to ask fast food bosses to send them frozen snacks over fears lockdown will leave her malnourished
- Six-year-old Akira Gujadhur’s family say she will starve without KFC’s help
- They have used a doctor’s note to appeal to KFC for more popcorn chicken
- KFC say they are working with suppliers to get chicken to Miss Gujadhur
The family of a six-year-old girl who only eats KFC popcorn chicken due to an eating disorder have pleaded with the fast food chain to make supplies of the snack available to them.
Fearing that Akira Gujadhur, from Poole, Dorset, may starve to death during lockdown her family have appealed to KFC with a doctors note confirming the risk of their daughter suffering malnutrition.
Miss Gujadhur has refused all other food apart from KFC popcorn chicken since the age of nine-months after she developed a severe eating disorder which started after a throat infection.
Akira Gujadhur, six, from Poole, Dorset with her parents Raj Gujadhur (back) and Hem Gujadhur (front) who has refused all food except KFC popcorn chicken since nine-months
When the lockdown was announced her worried parents had bulk-bought 10 packs of popcorn chicken from the chain expecting for it to be shut for three weeks – their supplies are now dwindling as the national shutdown continues.
Before this the family depended on their local KFC in Ashley Road, Parkstone, for two portions of the snack everyday and has so far spent £16,000 on popcorn chicken.
Parents Raj and Hem Gujadhur appealed to KFC today, after having obtained a doctor’s note from Miss Gujadhur’s consultant at St Thomas’ Hospital in London verifying her condition.
The note said: ‘Akira has diagnoses of autism, learning difficulties and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder(ARFID). ARFID is a specific sensory and anxiety-based feeding disorder.
Kentucky Fried Chicken popcorn chicken pieces, which Miss Gujadhur likes to eat
‘She has a narrow repertoire of foods that she is able to eat, and extremely high levels of anxiety about new and unfamiliar foods.
‘One of the main sources of nutrition for Akira is KFC popcorn chicken. She will not accept similar sorts of chicken sold in supermarkets.’
The letter asked KFC if it could sell frozen popcorn chicken to the family ‘to ensure her nutritional status remains adequate’.
Mr Gujadhur said: ‘We invested in the same kitchen equipment that is used by KFC and cooked the KFC frozen popcorn chicken at the recommended temperature and cooking time. We were able to replicate the popcorn chicken and our daughter has been eating as normal.
A letter from the families GP asked KFC if it could sell frozen popcorn chicken to the family ‘to ensure her nutritional status remains adequate’
‘We thought the lockdown was only going to be three weeks but it sounds like it’s going to be a lot longer now. She could starve to death.’
A spokesman for KFC said: ‘Since Akira and her family got in touch we’ve been working behind the scenes to try and help out as best we can.
‘We totally understand what a challenging situation it is, so we’re speaking to our suppliers to try and get some popcorn chicken over to Akira, which should hopefully help until we’re back open again.’