Clinical Nutrition and Lactation Services
Nutrition Referrals
Adequate and proper nutrition is important for a child’s normal growth and development. CHOC Clinical Nutrition and Lactation Services aims to be a reliable source of nutrition and lactation information for our patients, families and community.
We are here to help patients with growth and development, while giving them a foundation for lifelong health and wellness. We provide family-centered and culturally sensitive nutrition services on both an outpatient and inpatient basis, depending on our patients’ needs, using evidence-based techniques and best practices with a multidisciplinary approach.

What to Expect: Your First Visit
During your first consultation, you will meet with a registered dietician. Registered dietitians are nutrition experts who have completed their bachelor’s degree followed by an internship and national registration exam. Meeting with a pediatric registered one-on-one is a valuable opportunity to discuss your nutrition concerns. There will likely be multiple visits, as most nutrition interventions take time to address & monitor. The first visit will allow you, your child and the RD get to know each other.
Your registered dietician will gather information about your child and will address feeding concerns. Your RD will also assess your child’s weight, height, and growth. They may ask you or your child for a diet history – where you describe what your child typically eats and drinks over a certain time period. Your RD will also ask about cultural food traditions and food preferences. They may also ask about your child’s health history or family’s health history. Your RD will address any questions you have and provide specific nutrition and/or diet recommendations for your child
Outpatient Nutrition Counseling
Our pediatric Registered Dietitians (RDs) are experts in nutrition and provide medical nutrition therapy for infants to young adults. The goal is to optimize nutrition, growth and overall health. Our pediatric RDs cater the nutrition consultation to the individual & family – which often includes a nutrition and growth assessment, meal planning and child/family nutrition education.
One-on-one nutrition counseling with a pediatric RD is available with a physician’s referral. Common reasons for a referral include:
- Weight issues
- Malnutrition
- Feeding difficulties
- Autism
- Food intolerances and allergies
- Tube feeding
- Special diets
- Nutrition education
Along with one-on-one outpatient nutrition services, our RDs provide nutrition services as part of a team center care (TCC) approach in many CHOC clinics and programs. Families should check with their child’s insurance provider to determine insurance benefits.
Learn more about what you need to do or bring before your outpatient visit with a registered dietitian. Prepárese para la cita con su dietista.
Inpatient Nutrition Services
Our dietitians are an important part of a child’s care team while he or she is staying with us in the hospital. We provide comprehensive nutrition services for patients of all ages according to medical need. These services include:
- Screening all patients for nutritional risks based on diagnosis, nutrition history and growth trend
- Assessing nutritional needs and making recommendations on how to meet them which may include oral diet, parenteral (IV nutrition), or enteral (tube feeding)
- Providing nutrition education to patients and families
Healthy Lifestyle Classes
Nutrition, physical activity and behavior choices are very important when it comes to a child’s health. At CHOC, we work closely with children and their families to develop healthy lifestyles and prevent serious conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Learn more about our nutrition and lifestyle classes.
About Our Team
- Multidisciplinary. Our team is made up of more than 50 members, including registered dietitians (RDs), lactation consultants, diet technicians and support staff.
- An emphasis on leading-edge research. Annually, our team does over 40 presentations and publications for the community and for medical professionals, ensuring we are always up-to-date on the latest treatments.
- Ensures specialized care. 80 percent of our team carries an additional specialty certification, making us as qualified as possible to deliver care for your child’s unique nutrition needs across all departments and conditions.
Lactation Services
Because nutrition is one of the most important factors in a baby’s health, CHOC provides lactation services to mothers who wish to breastfeed or pump while their baby is in the hospital. Support is available in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at CHOC and at the CHOC NICU at St. Joseph Hospital, as well as other CHOC hospital units where babies may receive treatment. Learn more about lactation services at CHOC.
More Resources
Downloadable Food Log (English/Spanish)
CHOC’s 3-day food log is helpful for tracking your child’s eating habits anytime, or in preparation for an appointment with our dietitians. Download your child’s food log now.
El diario de alimentación de CHOC ayuda a llevar un registro de 3 días de los hábitos alimenticios de su hijo. Puede utilizarlo en cualquier momento o en preparación a sus citas con nuestras nutriólogas. Descárguelo ahora mismo.
Downloadable Nutrition Handouts (English/Spanish)
Eat Right nutrition tip sheets provide practical food and nutrition guidance for healthy eating. These educational handouts are written by Academy staff registered dietitians and provided in English and Spanish.
Las hojas de consejos de nutrición de Eat Right proporcionan una guía práctica sobre alimentos y nutrición para una alimentación saludable. Estos folletos educativos están escritos por dietistas.
Food Hero (English/Spanish)
Easy, kid-friendly recipes with healthy eating activities and tips.
Recetas fáciles y adaptadas a los niños con actividades y consejos relacionadas a la alimentación saludable.
Nutrition Educational Games (English/Spanish)
Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)
FARE offers tools, resources and information for families dealing with food allergies.
Have a Plant
Have a Plant gives families tips for getting more fruits and vegetables into their diets.
CalorieKing
Easy-to-use tool to find nutrition facts for a wide variety of foods.
Eat Right Program
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers Eat Right, with tips and tools for both parents and kids to make healthy choices.
MyPlate (English/Spanish)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture uses the MyPlate tool to illustrate the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet using a familiar image – a place setting for a meal.
El Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos utiliza la herramienta MyPlate para ilustrar los cinco grupos de alimentos que son los componentes básicos de una dieta saludable utilizando una imagen familiar: una bandeja para servir comida.
La Nutricion saludable por las ninas (Español)
Articulos y recetas por comer saludable.
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