May 19, 2025

When Is the Right Time to Consider a Nutritionist for Your Child?

By Rebecca Appleman RD

Appleman Nutrition has a team of pediatric nutritionists, serving children throughout New York, Connecticut, and Florida. We are often contacted by parents looking for a nutritionist who specializes in children’s’ dietary needs, preferences and behaviors with food.

Children can often be picky eaters. That leads many parents to worry about what’s normal, what isn’t, and when their child might need help (or when they, as the parent, might need support in learning how best to nourish their child). Children have complex and evolving nutritional needs, and certain habits, behaviors, or health conditions may require more specialized attention, while other hurdles with food are entirely developmentally appropriate.

While some presentations of picky eating or inconsistent appetite may resolve on their own, there are certain situations where consulting with a pediatric nutritionist can offer important support and guidance tailored to your child and your family.

NOTE: Nutrition counseling can start at any age. We work with children, adolescents, adults and entire families to identify nutrition priorities and develop strategies for how to achieve the strongest nourishment and the healthiest relationship with food and body. We work with parents to become skilled users of neutral food language and to foster stress-free food environments at home that grow confident and varied eaters.

Signs That May Warrant Nutritional Guidance

A pediatric nutritionist is trained to assess diet, growth patterns, feeding behaviors, and nutrient needs in children at various developmental stages. We can help identify gaps in nutrition, address long-standing eating difficulties, and support families in creating healthy routines around food.

Some reasons families seek out pediatric nutrition support include:

• Consistent Picky Eating – When limited food variety leads to an imbalanced diet or stress at mealtime.
• Growth Concerns – If your child is gaining weight too quickly, not gaining enough, or showing a flattened growth curve.
• Food Allergies or Intolerances – When dietary restrictions make it difficult to meet nutrient needs.
• Digestive Issues – Such as ongoing constipation, diarrhea, or suspected gastrointestinal sensitivities.
• Meal Struggles – Regular power struggles over food, food refusal, or difficulty transitioning to age-appropriate textures or more complicated food combinations.
• Medical Conditions – When your child has a condition (e.g., diabetes, celiac disease, ADHD, or autism) that affects dietary needs.
• Nutrient Deficiencies – Diagnosed or suspected vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as iron deficiency anemia or low vitamin D.

In each of these situations, a pediatric nutritionist can work with your family to develop realistic strategies that align with your child’s medical, developmental, and emotional needs.

What the Pediatric Nutritionists at Appleman Nutrition Can Do

Working with a nutritionist does not always require a long-term commitment or a medical diagnosis. Some families simply need short-term advice, reassurance, or a few well-informed adjustments to support better nutrition at home. Other families benefit from regular and ongoing support in order to best meet their needs.

The role of a pediatric nutritionist is to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations that can improve your child’s nutritional status, developmental outcomes and the mealtime experience.

Depending on your goals, a pediatric nutritionist may help with:

• Evaluating growth patterns and identifying nutritional gaps
• Recommending appropriate portion sizes and balanced meals by age
• Supporting feeding transitions (e.g., introducing solids or switching to finger foods)
• Helping families navigate food sensitivities or exclusions without compromising nutrition
• Encouraging age-appropriate independence and healthy attitudes around food
• Providing strategies to reduce stress and improve structure at mealtimes

The goal is never to approach food in a rigid way, but instead to have a baseline structure with food that helps organize the family and to grow parents’ confidence in feeding their children in a way that supports long-term growth and development.

Early Intervention Supports Better Long-Term Habits

It’s not always necessary (or advisable) to wait for a significant problem to develop before seeing a pediatric nutritionist. Seeking guidance early – especially when food struggles persist or you’re unsure whether your child’s diet is meeting their needs – can prevent issues from becoming more difficult to manage later on. Early intervention can also promote healthier eating behaviors that follow children into adolescence and adulthood.

If you find yourself questioning whether your child is getting the nutrients they need, or you feel frustrated with daily feeding routines, that may be a sign it’s time to speak with a professional. Our pediatric nutritionists can provide clarity, offer individualized support, and help set realistic goals for your family’s needs. Our door is open to all families to provide this critical support.