Understanding the Role of a Family Dietitian-Nutritionist
Have you ever wondered how a dietitian and nutritionist can help your family or child with nutrition challenges, questions, or food anxiety? If you're a parent worried about your child’s growth, food intake, or relationship with their body, a qualified dietitian can provide valuable evidence-based guidance and compassionate support.

How a Neuro-affirming and Non-Diet Dietitian Can Help
A dietitian specialises in developing personalised nutrition strategies tailored to your child's needs and challenges. I can help address issues such as
Selective or Restrictive Eating (including Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID), explore any underlying factors impacting eating and digestion (such as gastrointestinal discomfort and the feeding environment) and develop strategies to optimise nutritional intake for growth and development.
Neurodivergent Nutrition Support: Explore how sensory processing differences, nutritional status, medication, and any co-occurring medical conditions, such as digestive problems, can influence the overall well-being of your child. We don’t aim to treat or “fix” neurodivergence.
Growth and weight concerns: Understand your child’s unique growth patterns and explore reasons for weight and growth changes. Receive support and guidance on nutritional intake, supplementation, appetite and body image concerns for children in larger or smaller bodies.
Youth Athletes: Optimise nutritional fueling for peak performance, recovery, growth and maturation.
Medical conditions: Nutrition support for a child with medical conditions such as Type 1 Diabetes, Celiac Disease, Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), etc.
Disordered Eating: Providing a safe and supportive environment to heal and develop a healthy relationship with food and our bodies.

A Compassionate and Collaborative Approach
As a parent, I understand that parenting and feeding a family can be challenging, so I approach my work with a gentle and compassionate mindset. I aim to empower parents like you by providing evidence-based information and strategies that promote healthy eating habits for your family.
I believe in a collaborative approach (you are the expert on your child and family), and we work closely together to understand your child's unique needs and develop personalised solutions within your capacity.
The Dietitian Process
Our initial appointment involves a comprehensive nutrition assessment — a nonjudgmental conversation (not a test) to understand precisely where we are. I explore your child’s growth, development, activity level, dietary intake, medical history, digestive health, and recent blood test results. I may recommend further prudent laboratory testing or assessments from other practitioners to identify specific nutrient deficiencies, explore co-occurring developmental challenges, or rule out red flags in the diagnostic process.
Understanding exactly where we are helps us determine the direction and pace of our interventions.

An individual’s nutritional status can be defined as the result of the nutritional intake received and the nutritional demands of the individual and should allow for the utilisation of nutrients to maintain reserves and compensate for losses.
We also look at the feeding environment, and depending on the child's age, I suggest observing your child's mealtimes to gain insights into their eating abilities and environment. I can observe mealtimes in person or through video recordings. There is also time to discuss your child's routine, activities, strengths, interests, and personality. You can also share your family values and any fears and goals concerning your child’s eating.
Finally, we work on creating a roadmap for our work together. At the end of each consultation, you will have 2 or 3 action points to focus on next, with clear, practical strategies and guidance on implementing these strategies. You will also receive a written summary of what we discussed, which often includes recipes, meal ideas, supplement advice, and feeding strategies. Follow-ups are tailored to you and done at your pace.

Support Options
I offer two main support options (online or home visit):
Once-Off Ask Me Anything: This option provides a one-time consultation with a written summary of two to three main strategies and recommendations for those seeking quick answers and specific recommendations about a specific nutritional or feeding challenge.
Support Package: For more in-depth support, this package includes a phased approach with an initial assessment and then regular check-ins to address challenges and provide ongoing guidance and support. Follow-up consultations are scheduled at your pace. Package valid for six months.
Customised add-ons: I can customise any offer with home visits, shopping trips, basic cooking skills and helper training at additional costs. Home visits are only available in Singapore.
In summary, the goal is to determine your child’s nutritional status and prioritise strategies to optimise their nutritional intake. Interventions are based on creating a nurturing environment where they can develop healthy psychological relationships with food and their bodies. The process is about fostering sustainable, positive changes at a pace that works for your child and family.
Remember, you're not alone. A dietitian can provide the tools and support you need to help your child develop healthy eating habits that will benefit them for a lifetime.

Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Outcomes Can We Expect, and How Long Will It Take to See Results?
Every child is unique, so the timeline and outcomes can vary widely depending on their needs and situation. Some families notice improvements within days or weeks; for others, it may be a longer journey. These improvements can look different for each family. For some, it may mean a child is coming to a table without distress and an increased appetite; for others, it may look like a child’s expanding the variety of food they are willing to try. However, I often find that parents feel more confident and less anxious about feeding their children, which significantly affects their relationship with their children and makes for more peaceful and enjoyable mealtimes for all.
Do you work with my child directly?
It depends on the child and situation. But in general, for children younger than 12, I primarily work only with you, the parent or caregiver, on your role in responsively feeding your child. When indicated, older children and teenagers can attend with you, or we can break up the session so they can see me independently for part of the consulting time.
What do I need to prepare for our first consultation?
Generally, you must complete an online nutrition questionnaire in English and record your child’s historical growth data, medical history and general dietary intake before the initial consultation. The form takes about 30-40 minutes to complete. You may be asked to send a short recording of a mealtime with your child. During our consultation, I will discuss some aspects of the questionnaire and ask more in-depth questions about your child’s typical routine and food intake.
I tailor every appointment to your specific needs, and this process might look a little different for those wanting to discuss their entire family’s nutritional intake or for those who have an older teen wanting to see me directly.
I am not based in Singapore; can I still consult with you?
Most of my consultations are done remotely through secure videoconferencing during Singapore working hours (GMT+8). Whether you can depends on where you are based and what type of health insurance coverage you have or wish to use. Please contact me directly to find out more.
I am registered in Singapore and South Africa. In South Africa, I am contracted in with most major health insurance companies.
If you have any other questions or want clarification, please complete this form or book a free discovery call to talk to me directly.
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