Dietitians are skilled and regulated healthcare experts who evaluate, diagnose and manage dietary and nutritional issues on both an individual and broader public-health scale. They rely on the latest public health and scientific research regarding food, health and disease, which they convert into practical advice to help individuals make suitable lifestyle and dietary decisions.
You can find out more about Dietitians from the British Dietetic Association (BDA).
What do Dietitians do?
A Dietitian will evaluate your dietary intake (or your child's) and will work with you to create and agree a treatment plan that aligns with your (or your child's) health goals. We are governed by the British Dietetics Association (BDA) and regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council.
How can Dietitians help children and young people?
Dietitians help babies, children and teenagers to eat and drink well. They support children and their families where nutrition and special diets can be part of their treatment, including allergies, fussy eating and cancer. Examples of the benefits of seeing a Dietitian are:
To resolve symptoms caused by food allergies and / or intolerances
To treat long-term conditions, such as cancer, diabetes or renal disease where diet plays a fundamental role.
How do I access your service?
You can ask your General Practitioner (GP) or other health care professional to refer you to a dietitian.
If you are under the care of a hospital consultant they, or a specialist nurse attached to the multi-disciplinary service, can also refer you to a dietitian.
Where do Dietitians work with children and young people and how do I contact them?
Dietitians work with children and young people in different settings depending on the child and young person's needs. Dietitians work as part of 3 different services. You can find out more about each service below along with their contact details.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Dietitians
In CAMHS, dietitians support children and young people whose mental health or neurodevelopmental condition is affecting their nutrition and wellbeing. When their support needs are leading to serious health concerns someone in their team will ask for support from a dietitian.
The dietitian might meet with the child or young person and their family. Or, they might work behind the scenes by advising the care team on dietary guidance as part of the care plan. The goal is to give the right support to manage the child or young person's eating and drinking and their health and wellbeing.
Some children and young people may need to see a dietitian because of food aversions or severely limited food acceptance. These could be due to sensory, behavioural or trauma-related triggers. A dietitian might be able to help if these are leading to: • ongoing weight loss • low weight • slow growth in height or weight • or nutritional deficiencies.
If your child or young person is known to a CAMHS Dietitian then you can contact them using your CAMHS team contact information.
Community Dietitians
Community dietitians work with children and young people whose needs can be managed in the community. For example:
Non-IgE Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (over 1 year old)
Single allergy, constipation, and fussy eating (over 2 years old with no history of growth issues).
Appointments are available in clinics for face-to-face consultations in local community health centres, via NHS near Me (virtual video consultations) or over the telephone.
Paediatric Dietitians work closely with clinicians, specialist nurses and other allied health professionals, in all medical and surgical specialties across the Royal Hospital for Children. They offer guidance on therapeutic diets or nutritional assistance for both inpatients and outpatients. They also participate in multidisciplinary clinics with specialist teams and run dietetic-led outpatient clinics regularly for children and young people. The paediatric service also provide services Scotland-wide for inherited metabolic diseases and shared care to other regions.
Some examples of the specialist clinics we offer, including multidisciplinary team clinics, are:
Allergy Clinic
Cow's Milk Protein Allergy Groups
Endocrine Clinics for conditions such as Diabetes
Feeding Clinic for children with very complex feeding issues
Home enteral feeding (tube feeding)
Gastroenterology clinic for conditions such as Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Coeliac Disease
Metabolic clinic for conditions such as Phenylketonuria (PKU).
You can find out more about Paediatric Dietitians on their page on the Royal Hospital for Children website and app.
If your child or young person is known to a Paediatric Dietitian you can contact them using the information below.
Royal Hospital for Children 1345 Govan Road Glasgow G51 4TF
This is an answerphone service, if leaving a message, please provide date of birth or CHI, and the full name of the child/young person.
How do I share feedback about Dietetics?
How do I share feedback about Dietetics?
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to providing high quality care and treatment to our patients, and excellent service to others who use its services. Your feedback helps us build on what works well and improve what could be better.
Feedback
We encourage sharing feedback with staff delivering care, but offer various other ways for you to tell your story. It’s important to us that you can share your feedback about NHSGGC at a time and place you feel comfortable. You can find out more on our Share your feedback page.
Complaints
We understand, that sometimes things go wrong. If something goes wrong or if you are dissatisfied with something we have done, or have not done, please tell us and we will do our best to put things right. If we cannot resolve matters in the way you want, we will explain why it is not possible to do as you suggest. Find out more about our Complaints procedure or for further advice on how to make a complaint, please contact us via:
Approved By:
KIDS Content Group, SCS Clinical Governance Executive Group
Reviewer name(s):
KIDS Content Group.
We are one of the leading paediatric care centres in the UK, and the largest in Scotland. We provide family centred care to newborns, infants, children and young people both in hospital and in the community.
KIDS for Families
Community dietitians work with children and young people whose needs can be managed in the community. For example:
