Nutrition counseling is provided by a nutrition expert, typically a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). In your visit, the RDN will assess your child’s nutrition needs and offer individualized recommendations on diet changes to keep your child healthy. The RDN can help your child and family understand how nutrition affects overall health in a supportive, non-judgmental way. Nutrition counseling can be utilized for general healthful eating recommendations or can be disease-specific.
During an initial nutrition visit, your child’s RDN will gather information related to your child’s current diet, food and texture preferences, and mealtime environment. They may facilitate goal setting and recommend a follow up frequency that is right for your child and family. In future visits, the RDN will check in on goal progress, and may adjust the nutrition plan as appropriate to help your child meet their specific needs.
What is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist?
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is a “credentialed health care professional who specializes in nutrition and developing eating plans to meet health needs.”1 An RDN has earned a college degree in nutrition, completed an accredited dietetic internship, passed a national certifying exam, and abides by state requirements. At COPA, our dietitians work closely with your child’s Pediatrician to assess for possible nutrient deficiencies, recommend labs and vitamin supplementation when appropriate, counsel on relationships with food and body image, and provide a plan to support adequate growth and development.
Why is Nutrition Counseling Important?
Nutrition counseling can help ensure your child is growing and developing appropriately. Engaging in appropriate nutrition recommendations has also been shown to reduce the likelihood of disease and minimize symptoms of existing conditions.
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can also help families raise a competent and confident eater. Eating competence is defined as “being positive, comfortable, and flexible with eating as well as matter-of-fact and reliable about getting enough to eat of personally enjoyable, nourishing food.”2 Children who are competent eaters become adults who are competent eaters, and have more positive quality of life indicators.
How to Schedule a Visit with Nutrition at COPA
- No referral is needed to schedule.
- Discuss with your COPA provider if you have questions.
- Call 541-389-6313 to schedule today! We offer in-person visits in Redmond, East Bend and North West Crossing, or Telehealth visits.
- You can also book an appointment online here.
Written by Andria Clark, MS, RDN, LD and Audrey Hester, RDN, LD
Resources:
- Definition from Cleveland Clinic, How To Become a Dietitian & What They Do
- Ellyn Satter Institute, Eat and feed with joy