What to Expect from an Inpatient Pediatric Dietitian
At Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, our pediatric dietitians are an important part of your child’s healthcare team. We collaborate closely with physicians, nurses, therapists and other specialists to make sure your child’s nutrition supports healing and growth during their hospital stay.
While your child is inpatient, our pediatric dieticians will get to know your child’s unique nutrition needs. This includes completing a full nutrition assessment, especially for children who may need extra nutrition support or have complex medical conditions. Using this information, the dietitian creates a personalized nutrition plan that fits your child’s medical care and developmental needs.
Our dietitians support children who eat by mouth as well as those who need tube feeding or special formulas. We help with selecting the right formula, creating custom recipe plans and making diet changes for medical conditions. We also partner with families to provide clear, easy‑to‑understand nutrition education so you feel comfortable and confident caring for your child.
Throughout your child’s hospital stay, the dietitian stays in close communication with the care team and your family. As your child’s condition improves or changes, the dietitian adjusts the nutrition plan to keep it safe, effective and appropriate for the next steps in care, whether that means advancing feeds, preparing for discharge or planning follow‑up after leaving the hospital.
Our goal is to support your child and your family by using nutrition as an important part of healing.
What to Expect from an Outpatient Pediatric Dietitian
At Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, our outpatient pediatric dietitians partner with families and specialty care teams to support children’s nutrition needs over time. These dietitians work closely within specialty clinics to provide in‑depth nutrition assessments and personalized nutrition care tailored to your child’s diagnosis, growth pattern and stage of development.
Outpatient pediatric dietitians are experts in pediatric growth and development. They understand how nutrition needs change as your child grows and as medical conditions, treatments or therapies evolve. Using careful assessment and ongoing monitoring, the dietitian helps ensure nutrition supports healthy growth, development, and overall quality of life.
During clinic visits, the dietitian takes time to learn about your child’s eating patterns, feeding skills, tolerance and daily routine. Nutrition plans may include oral nutrition strategies, tube feeding adjustments, formula selection, supplementation or medical diet changes. Dietitians also support children with feeding disorders, sensory challenges and developmental delays by working alongside therapists and other specialists to create realistic, family-centered nutrition plans.
Outpatient pediatric dietitians are highly involved members of the multidisciplinary care team. They collaborate closely with physicians, nurses, therapists and other healthcare providers to make sure nutrition care is aligned with your child’s overall treatment plan. Dietitians help coordinate care between inpatient and outpatient settings, providing continuity and support during hospital discharge, recovery or transitions in care.
As your child grows or experiences changes, the dietitian adapts nutrition plans to meet new needs. They also assist families with nutrition-related prescriptions, insurance documentation and ongoing problem-solving, helping remove barriers to accessing nutrition care at home.
Throughout your child’s care, the outpatient dietitian serves as a consistent nutrition resource for families and specialty teams.
Le Bonheur Outpatient Clinics That Include Nutrition Therapy
Our pediatric dietitians provide services in specific outpatient clinics at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
- G-Tube Clinic
- Endocrine and Diabetes Clinic
- Intestinal Rehabilitation Clinic
- Muscular Dystrophy/ Neuromuscular Clinic
- Eating Disorder Clinic
- Complex Care Clinic
- Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
- Kidney, Liver, Heart Transplant Clinics
- Chronic Kidney Disease Clinic
- Healthy Lifestyles Clinic
- Bariatric Surgery Clinic
- Single Ventricle Defect Clinic
Lactation Consultants
A certified lactation consultant is also a part of the clinical nutrition staff to assist the breastfeeding mother and baby. If you are a nursing mother or plan to breastfeed your baby, the lactation consultant can offer support and work with you to preserve the special breastfeeding relationship during hospitalization. Special equipment and supplies are available and can be provided by the lactation consultant when needed.
The Cynthia Milk Fund provides formula to eligible patients. A registered dietitian from the Clinical Nutrition department can determine if you are eligible. Through the Cynthia Milk Fund, the Clinical Nutrition department provides all types of formulas and supplements (Pregestimil, Elecare, Pediasure, Ensure Plus, Duocal) to children whose insurance may not cover, those who may need more than WIC provides, or those who may have financial hardship.
Healthy Behaviors Videos
The Healthy Behaviors videos from Le Bonheur Children's helps parents and children establish a healthy relationship with their bodies and food. Learn more about how to make feeding decisions based on honoring hunger cues that provide nutrition for growth, development and well-being.
