Paediatric Dietetics
At Eat Smart Nutrition, our team of dietitians are here to help families navigate child and teen nutrition.
Our Approach to Paediatric Nutrition
Feeding kids and teens is no easy task! Add in everyone’s opinions on how and what they should eat, plus the pressures of busy schedules and the rising cost of living—and it’s no wonder parents feel overwhelmed. If you’ve tried Googling for advice, you know it can quickly add to the confusion.
At Eat Smart Nutrition, our team of dietitians are here to help families navigate child and teen nutrition. Some of us are parents ourselves (with our own experiences raising neurodivergent kids), we understand firsthand the challenges and joys of feeding kids.
Why Visit a Dietitian for Your Child?
You might be here because you’re:
- Concerned about your child’s health.
- Wondering how to handle food allergies.
- Worried about your child’s weight.
- Upset that your child won’t eat healthy foods.
- Bothered that your child is a picky eater, or maybe doesn’t stop eating.
- Tired of making separate meals for each person.
- Feeling stress or tension around mealtime.
- Seeing “junk food” cravings take over.
- Anxious that food and eating have become stressful topics in the house.
Or maybe you’re dealing with specific issues like:
- Fussy eating or problem feeding (like ARFID).
- Autism or ADHD.
- Allergies or intolerances.
- Digestive issues like IBS or IBD.
- Constipation or diarrhoea.
- Tube feeding and weaning.
What to Expect from Our Team
In our sessions, we’ll spend time talking with you to understand your specific concerns, and we’ll also work closely with your child to get a sense of their eating habits. We want to ensure every parent and child feels heard, supported, and understood. You’ll receive tailored food ideas, supplement recommendations, and routines to try at home. And if needed, we can explore fun feeding therapy options. With years of experience in paediatric dietetics, our team is here to help your family find a healthier, happier approach to food.
What to Expect with Feeding Therapy
Eat Smart Nutrition have trained dietitians in the SOS Approach to Feeding is “Sequential Oral Sensory” and in Responsive Feeding. This means foods are introduced in a fun and playful way to desensitise the child to the food. This essentially helps them accept foods that are new or were previously liked but now dropped.
There are 6 major steps to eating:
Tolerating, Interacting with, Smelling, Touching, Tasting with & Eating.
Within each of these steps are smaller steps that we aim to help the child move through.
Families who benefit from feeding therapy include those with:
- Fussy eaters and Problem Feeders
- Children with ASD and/or ADHD or ARFID diagnoses
- Children with Sensory Processing Disorders
The age of the child will determine our approach:
- Under 6 years old – typically food play will be the dominant strategy
- ~6 – 13 years old – food explorer or food scientist approach or cooking
- Adolescents – food scientist and cooking lessons
Note: the approach to food is ultimately determined by the child’s intellectual age and current level of food skill.
Natasha McGregor
Dietitian and Paediatric Dietitian
Natasha is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Paediatric Dietitian, she is passionate about helping families build confidence in feeding their children while making mealtimes enjoyable. With expertise in fussy eating, sensory-related feeding issues, and various paediatric conditions, she provides personalised support in a relaxed, family-friendly approach.
Natasha is available at this Woolloongabba Paeds in a Pod Thursdays & Fridays.