The crisis of the cream cakes: an infant’s food refusal as a representation of intergenerational trauma

This was a poignant ‘Here I am’ moment (Winnicott, 1971, p. 153) for Jamil and Jayti, which was shared by the four members of staff, the three other mothers and their three toddlers in the playroom. Jamil had come a long way in approximately six months since being referred for treatment due to his refusal to eat. This had been affecting his physical, emotional, psychological and social development, and his consequent weight loss had become life-threatening; it seemed he was choosing to starve himself to death.