Dietetics

The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital offers a comprehensive dietetic service to inpatients and to children/babies and their families who attend outpatient clinics where dietary intervention and nutritional support can treat the baby/child’s disorder or its effects. The role of the Paediatric dietitian is to ensure a balanced nutritional intake to optimise a baby/child’s growth and development

Paediatric dietitians

  • Assess the need for dietary management
  • Design an individual plan to meet these needs
  • Assess and monitor the child’s growth and ongoing nutritional requirements

We would see children/babies with a wide range of disorders that may cause:

  • Delayed growth
  • Poor oral intake
  • Inability to swallow
  • Increased requirements for energy (calories) and nutrients

The dietitians offer specialised skills and see babies/children from 0-16 years of age with conditions such as:

  • Weight faltering
  • Feeding difficulties and faddy eaters
  • Food allergy/intolerance
  • Coeliac disease
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Cardiac disorders
  • Oncology patients
  • Diabetes
  • Premature babies
  • Autistic spectrum disorders
  • Obesity
  • Children with neurological disabilities
  • Children with inborn errors of metabolism i.e. phenylketonuria
  • Children who require tube feeding both at home and in hospital.

Accessing the Paediatric Dietitians

The paediatric dietetic team can be contacted on 01603 287101 or email dietitians.office@nnuh.nhs.uk

Usual working hours 9am – 5pm Monday-Friday

All babies/children seen by the dietitians are required to be referred by their GP, health visitor or consultant paediatrician.

Useful Links

  • www.bda.uk.com/ – The British Dietetic Association is the professional association for dietitians
  • www.hpc-uk.org – The health professions council is the regulating body for health professionals. You can check that your health professional is registered.
  • www.nhs.uk/change4life – Change4Life – Tips for healthy kids and families
  • www.healthystart.nhs.uk – Helping you to give your kids the best start in life, this website offers advice on to families receiving certain benefits on how they can get free milk, fruit, vegetables and vitamins.
  • www.nhs.uk – NHS choices website provides information on healthy living.