Dietitians and Nutrition Care

What are dietitians?

A dietitian is a health professional with special training in diet and nutrition. Dietitians provide nutrition care and offer advice on healthy eating habits to help patients and families improve health and aid in healing and recovery.

The main goals of pediatric nutrition care are to help children to grow and do normal activities. Good nutrition can help prevent health problems and help manage side effects and other issues that occur during illness or treatment. 

How a dietitian can help

A dietitian can help your child get the nutrients they need. Services provided by a clinical dietitian include:

• Nutrition assessment
• Counseling for health and wellness
• Nutrition care for specific diseases 
• Help with feeding problems
• Help with malnutrition and growth disorders
• Weight management
• Help with digestive issues, food allergies, food safety, and eating schedules
• Prescribing special diets, such as soft foods diets, GVHD diets, and bland diets
• Recommended vitamins and nutrition supplements
• Nutrition support for eating by mouth, tube feeding, and IV nutrition

Tube and IV nutrition

Patients who cannot eat or drink by mouth may need nutrition support. This support includes enteral nutrition (tube feeding) and parenteral nutrition (IV nutrition). Nutritional support is therapy for children who do not get enough nutrition by eating or drinking.

Treatment and its side effects may affect your child’s appetite. These side effects include nausea, vomiting, and trouble swallowing. Children who are sick may not want to eat. Some treatments can change how foods taste. A dietitian can assess your child’s needs and recommend the best nutrition therapy for your child.

Vitamin and nutrition supplements

Good nutrition is important for growth and development. Your dietitian may recommend a supplement if your child’s nutrition needs are not being met. However, vitamin, mineral, or nutrition supplements are usually not recommended unless there is a health need.

• Some vitamins, minerals, and herbs can keep medicines from working correctly. Some nutrition products can be harmful. Products labeled whole food, natural, healthy, pure, or organic are not always safe or helpful.
• Ask your child’s care team before using:
  • Nutrition powders, shakes, bars, or gummies
  • Multivitamins, vitamins, or mineral supplements
  • Energy drinks
  • Herbal supplements
  • Prebiotics and probiotics

How to find a dietitian

Most nutrition professionals in health care settings are registered dietitians (RDs) or registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). They have advanced education and training in nutrition and patient care. Registered dietitians have also passed a national exam.

Many states require licenses for nutrition professionals such as Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (CDN) and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN). Some dietitians have certifications in specialty areas, such as in pediatrics (CSP) or oncology (CSO).

Your care team can refer you to a dietitian who works with children or who specializes in meeting the health needs of patients with certain health conditions.

Questions to ask the care team

• What are my child’s nutritional needs?
• What diet is recommended for my child?
• Are there any foods to avoid?
• How can I get my child to eat?
• Is it OK to give my child vitamin supplements?

For more information

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