The Kids

Younger Children

This category includes nutrition problems that may arise in infancy and through toddlerhood.

Examples of these are gastrointestinal issues, food allergies or intolerances and growth difficulties (Failure to Thrive). Parents will learn how to successfully transition to solid foods from breast or bottle feeding and how to assess if developmental milestones in feeding are being met. The focus will be establishing good habits through structured meal and snack times. Learn how and what toddlers really like to eat and receive recipes, tips, tables and charts and website links to help you navigate this most important stage in your child’s feeding journey. Counseling will be with parents only at this stage.

School Age Children

By this time, you will discover what kind of eater your child really is!

 All kids are going to have their unique blueprint: some will be more “Selective” and some may eat a wide variety of foods. Those that appear to be “Overeaters” may be triggering parent responses that are over-restrictive and possibly unnecessary. With appropriate parent and professional interventions, all children can experience health and growth at their own rate.

You will learn how to interpret your child’s growth chart; communicate concerns to your pediatrician or school; make healthier food additions assuring adequate calories, protein, calcium and iron; set eating times that are aligned with hunger and fullness level; assess your child’s body image and self-esteem and find ways to improve these important issues.

I welcome working with parents and children who are Neurodiverse or have special needs and will assist in navigating all the confusing nutrition information out there for this group. Parents and child often have combined monthly sessions following the initial Parent Feeding Counseling. These often take place in the kitchen where fun hands-on experiments with food can take place. Older children will learn how to read food labels and measure portion sizes; younger ones may smell, taste new foods. All sessions will require a 3 Day Food Log completion before the visit which will be reviewed. Weight and height measurements are not the focus but may be made before each monthly visit or every 3 to 4 months at the pediatrician’s office. Every child will receive an individualized “Menu Option” Food Plan incorporating 2 to 3 of their preferred choices per meal or snack.

Adolescents

Over the years, I have found this age group to be both the most interesting and challenging. There are many eating issues: some teens are possibly on their way to restrictive or binge eating and some may be significantly overweight. Rates of both in America’s youth are increasing and parents need to be tuned in so that they can intervene as early as possible. Children often feel hungrier and eat more to meet rapid growth needs and this is a time when young teens may start to experiment with new eating styles or start a fad diet. As your teenager gains independence, what the other kids are eating and the internet are strong influencers. Parents become more limited in what they can do but you will receive support for creating a healthier home food environment, modeling your own improved lifestyle behaviors and finding appropriate resources and referrals.

On a one-to-one basis, my treatment philosophy is to steer away from dieting behavior or weight taking. Teens will be asked to keep a food journal or log their intake using a popular app. Growth and any recent blood work will be reviewed with both parent and child at the initial 90 minute session. Visits usually continue monthly with either the teen alone or with one parent. As with school age, interactive nutrition education is often the focus.