If your little one has growth issues (e.g., slow growth or under-/overweight) or feeding problems (e.g., being overly picky), your child's pediatrician may recommend taking them to a pediatric dietitian. They may advise the same thing if your kid has a chronic condition, such as allergies or a gastrointestinal issue.
Seeing a nutrition specialist for children may also be beneficial if you'd like to have a personalized plan aimed at healthier development and eating habits created for your little one.
In any case, consulting with child nutrition experts has become even more crucial nowadays, given the increasing diet-related problems kids in the U.S. face. A prime example is obesity, affecting around 14.7 million Americans aged 2 to 19, according to the American Medical Association.
By getting tailored dietary advice for children, you can help your child build and follow healthy eating habits early on.
What Does a Pediatric Dietitian Do?
A pediatric dietitian is a specialized healthcare professional trained and experienced in evaluating children's (infants to adolescents) growth patterns and nutritional intake. Some of their key roles and responsibilities include:
- Providing nutrition consulting for kids
- Educating parents on child dietary issues and helping them make more informed decisions on their children's eating habits, including nutrient-dense foods and portioning
- Creating age-appropriate and well-balanced meal plans, factoring in allergies, medical needs, and family culture
- Helping manage medical conditions like gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, or malnutrition in children
- Sharing practical insights into how parents can manage picky eating, slow weight gain, or sensory issues that interfere with their child's healthy nutrition
- Collaborating with other children's healthcare professionals, such as pediatricians, pediatric nurses, and pediatric therapists
Even if you're unsure whether a pediatric dietitian can help your little one or not, consider consulting with one. You can get a free consultation (e.g., via phone) to learn more about practitioners and their services, according to this FAQ/guide from JM Nutrition.
When Should a Child See a Dietitian?
Your child can benefit from seeing a dietitian if they have growth issues, feeding problems, or chronic conditions. Their pediatrician will likely recommend or refer you to one in these cases, particularly if your little one's health, dietary, or feeding concerns have been going on for some time.
Growth Issues
Growth problems in children mean that they're either below or above the average range of growth for their age, gender, racial background, and family history. A typical example is short stature.
According to a study published in PubMed Central, short stature refers to height that's over two standard deviations below the average for age, sex, and population. It also notes that about 3% of kids fall under this range.
Improper nutrition is a common cause of growth problems in kids, including short stature. If your little one is experiencing such a problem, it's wise to have them see a pediatric dietitian.
Such nutrition specialists will assess your child's health and specific dietary and nutritional needs. They'll then use their findings to create personalized meal plans using healthy ingredients designed to tackle your kid's dietary deficiencies or problems.
Feeding Problems
If your little one experiences or displays one or more of the following symptoms, they likely have a feeding problem:
- Behavioral indications: Refusing food, crying, stiffening, throwing tantrums, displaying fear of trying new foods
- Oral motor and sensory indications: Gagging, coughing, choking, and pronounced food selectivity
- Physical indications: Eating very slowly (e.g., not finishing their meal within 30 minutes), poor growth, and weight loss
A pediatric dietitian can help with these problems by determining their root cause and contributing factors. Common culprits include:
- Medical (e.g., food allergies and gastrointestinal conditions)
- Sensory processing (hypersensitivity to tastes, odors, and textures)
- Oral motor dysfunction
- Developmental delays
Once the dietitian has determined the root cause, they can then develop an appropriate treatment plan, including personalized meal plans and behavioral/sensory techniques.
Chronic Conditions
Many chronic conditions can affect and interfere with children's dietary and nutritional needs, including:
- Diabetes
- Food allergies
- Gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and celiac disease
- Eating disorders
- Obesity
- Kidney disease
If your child has one or more of the above conditions, a pediatric dietitian should be on their healthcare team. A dietitian can provide specialized nutrition therapy and meal plans tailored to their specific condition, reducing the risk of their ailment becoming worse due to what they eat (or what they don't).
Proactive Personalization of Meal Plans
Your child doesn't have to have a dietary, feeding, or health problem to see a pediatric dietitian. They can benefit from the tailored advice and guidance that a dietitian can provide, such as healthy meal planning for optimal growth and development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There a Specific Age at Which Kids Should See Pediatric Dietitians?
No. There's no single "best" or "right" age for your child to see a pediatric dietitian, as nutrition counseling can start at any age, from infancy to puberty or even late adolescence.
You can take your little one to a dietitian as early as their first year of age if you want guidance for personalizing their meal plans, for instance. You can also consult a pediatric dietitian as soon as your child shows signs of allergies or diabetes.
Does Early Life Nutrition Impact Adulthood?
Yes, and recent scientific literature shows the connection between the two.
A study published in Science Direct, for instance, suggests that one's nutrition in early life has long-term consequences, influencing health and outcomes in adulthood. The researchers say there's substantial evidence showing that excessive and deficient nutrition can contribute to chronic disease development.
All that should be enough to prompt parents to invest in their children's nutrition now, as it can help them lead longer, happier, and healthier adult lives.
Consider Consulting With a Pediatric Dietitian Today
Whether your little one has growth issues, feeding problems, or chronic conditions, it pays to know that a pediatric dietitian can help address these concerns. They can provide tailored guidance and personalized meal plans that support healthy eating and promote optimal growth and development.
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