What Is Pediatric Nutritional Counseling and How It Benefits Kids

Many children consume a diet full of empty calories. The easy availability of fast food and snacks can make healthy eating difficult. As a busy parent, it can be difficult for you to monitor your child’s diet. 

A nutritionist and child holding produce, smiling at the camera in an office.

Nutritional counseling from a pediatrician can help. Dr. Kerry Kirifides and Dr. Sonia Shastry at Just Kids Pediatrics in Newark, DE, offer comprehensive medical care for children, including nutritional counseling.


How Nutritional Counseling Can Help Your Child

If your child is underweight or overweight, nutritional counseling can help your child start on the path to healthy eating.

Developing healthy eating habits early can continue into adulthood.


During a nutritional counseling appointment, the nutritionist will:

  • Record your child’s weight and height
  • Record any medical conditions your child has
  • Record any food or medicine allergies your child has

The nutritionist will assess your child’s current diet, including:

  • How many calories your child consumes in a typical day
  • Your child’s mealtime and snacking habits
  • What foods your child eats in a typical day
  • How much exercise your child gets in a typical day


The nutritionist may ask you and your child to make a food diary to identify hidden calories and “empty calorie” foods, which can be eliminated from your child’s diet.


Meal planning is an important way nutritional counseling can help both you and your child. If your child is underweight, foods can be recommended to increase your child’s weight and build muscle. If your child is overweight, lower calorie foods can be recommended to help your child lose weight.


Nutritional counseling can also help teach the benefits of reading food labels, to identify high-fat, high-sugar, and high-calorie foods to eliminate them from your child’s diet.


Want To Know More About Nutritional Counseling for Children?

To discover more about nutritional counseling and how it can benefit your child, talk with the experts. Call Dr. Kerry Kirifides and Dr. Sonia Shastry at Just Kids Pediatrics in Newark, DE. You can reach them in the office by calling (302) 918-6400, so call today.

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