Whittington Health's Islington Community Paediatric Dietetics Service promotes nutritional wellbeing by assessing, diagnosing and treating diet and nutrition-related problems, and providing practical and safe advice based on scientific evidence.

Children's dietitians assess nutritional requirements, food intake and growth in times of health and disease,and tailor advice in line with the child's age, treatment and medical condition

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

Children and young people aged up to 18 years, registered with a GP in Islington and needing dietetics support, including for:

• non IgE cows milk protein allergy (delayed response)
• selective eating with one or more of the following:
  • nutritional deficiency diagnosed through blood analysis
  • additional complex needs such as autism
  • faltering growth or underweight BMI with evidence of growth history on referral
  • attended the Families For Life or Family Kitchen Programme, but referrer still has significant concern
  • unable to attend Families For Life or Family Kitchen Programme for an understandable reason (e.g. language and communication barriers, IT limitations such as no Wi-Fi)
• faltering growth
• oral nutrition support (for example supplements)
• enteral tube feeding (for example nasogastric feeding or gastrostomy feeding)
• weight management from birth to four years with one or more of the following:
  • attended the Families For Life or Family Kitchen Programme, but referrer still has significant concern
  • unable to attend Families For Life or Family Kitchen Programme for an understandable reason (such as language and communication barriers, IT limitations including no Wi-Fi).

Exclusions

• weaning difficulties (refer to Health Visitor)
• IgE allergy (immediate response, refer to Whittington Hospital allergy team, see Allergy in Children pathway)
• weight management over four years (refer to Healthy Living Nutritionist)
• referrals for general fussy eating and weight management should be sent to one of the below:
  • Islington Families for Life and Family Kitchen Programme (group-based initiative for fussy feeders and overweight children aged 2-11)
  • for under-2s, their Health Visitor can be another point of contact
  • weight management over four years should be sent to the Islington Healthy Living Nutritionist alongside Families for Life referral.

How to Refer