Finding the right dietitian for your child can feel overwhelming, especially when fussy eating, growth concerns or medical needs are involved. This guide explains what paediatric dietetics involves, how it's funded in Australia, and how to choose a provider in Adelaide. The page also features a selection of local providers to help you start your search.
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North Adelaide-based lactation/infant feeding specialist offering clinic and telehealth consultations for breastfeeding, bottle feeding, tongue tie, reflux, low supply, and bottle refusal concerns in babies and beyond newborn stage. Includes 7-day follow-up support; no NDIS or waitlist mentioned.
Nourish, based in Parkside, Adelaide, provides diabetes education and dietetic services for people with Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes, including meal plans, CGM/insulin pump support, body composition analysis, and community nutrition workshops for all ages.
Speech Pathology clinic in Goodwood, SA, serving children birth to 18 years. Services include language, speech sound development, social communication, early intervention, literacy, AAC, behaviour and feeding therapy. Accepts NDIS, Medicare (CDM plans) and private health fund rebates via HICAPS.
Life Skills Hub supports young people aged 7-25+ with psychology, occupational therapy, dietetics/feeding therapy, mentoring, and allied health assistance, plus group therapies (board games, cooking, craft, LEGO, Minecraft, puberty education) targeting social, motor, and life skills.
Pod Dietetics offers person-centred, weight-neutral, trauma-informed dietetic care for people of all ages. Team includes multiple Accredited Practising Dietitians and an Allied Health Assistant. Skilled in alternative communication devices for accessibility. No mention of NDIS registration, telehealth, or waitlist.
Adelaide CBD provider offering paediatric clinical nutrition and feeding therapy for babies through teenagers, addressing ADHD, ASD, sensory eating, gut issues, and developmental concerns. No NDIS registration, telehealth availability, or waitlist details specified.
Telehealth dietitian service offering nutrition support via virtual appointments (Google Teams). No specific age range, NDIS registration, or waitlist information provided.
Adelaide clinical psychology and dietetics clinic in Clarence Park, SA, offering early intervention therapy for children (2.5–11 years), psychology for youth/adults (12–30), assessments (2.5–80 years), dietetics, and group therapy. Offers face-to-face and telehealth sessions.
A paediatric dietitian (an Accredited Practising Dietitian, or APD) works with children and families to support healthy eating, growth and nutrition. This is different from general "nutrition advice" — an APD has university qualifications and is credentialed through Dietitians Australia. In children, this work often overlaps with feeding therapy, which may also involve speech pathologists or occupational therapists, particularly for fussy eating or sensory-related mealtime difficulties.
Common reasons families see a paediatric dietitian include:
Every child goes through phases of fussiness, so a bit of food refusal isn't unusual. It may be worth seeking help if your child eats fewer than around 20 foods, drops foods without replacing them, gags or vomits at mealtimes, is losing weight or not gaining as expected, or if mealtimes are consistently stressful for the whole family. Concerns raised by your GP, paediatrician or child health nurse are also a good prompt to book an appointment.
Paediatric dietitians and feeding specialists support children from infancy through to the teenage years. This includes newborn and infant feeding (including breastfeeding, bottle-feeding and starting solids), toddlers navigating fussy eating, and older children managing medical conditions or growth needs. Early support is often helpful, but it's never too late to seek help.
An initial consultation usually runs 45–60 minutes. The dietitian will take a detailed history — your child's growth, medical background, current eating patterns, mealtime routines and family concerns. You may be asked to keep a food and drink diary beforehand. The focus is on understanding the whole picture rather than jumping straight to a strict eating plan.
From there, you'll usually receive practical, realistic strategies tailored to your child and family. Many providers work alongside speech pathologists or OTs when feeding difficulties have a sensory or oral-motor component, so ask whether they can coordinate care.
As a general guide, an initial paediatric dietetics or feeding consultation in Australia often ranges from around $150 to $250, with follow-up sessions typically $90 to $180. Under the NDIS, dietetics falls under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living, and price limits are set out in the annually updated NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Please treat all figures as a rough guide only — fees vary between clinics and change over time, so always confirm current pricing directly with the provider.
Depending on your situation, you may also be able to access:
Ask each clinic how they handle NDIS claiming (self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed) and whether Medicare or private health rebates apply.
When comparing dietitians and feeding specialists, check the following:
This page features a range of Adelaide providers, including clinics in North Adelaide (such as Infant Feeding Specialist, Juni Paediatrics, SA Paediatrics and Newborns and Adelaide Paediatrics), the CBD, Goodwood, Unley, Kensington, Hindmarsh, Woodville South and Mile End. Ratings and review numbers can be a useful starting point, but always follow up with your own questions.
This guide is general information only and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a qualified health professional. Always speak with your GP, paediatrician or an Accredited Practising Dietitian about your child's individual needs.
Or read the full paediatric dietetics guide, or browse all Adelaide providers.
An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) has recognised university qualifications and is credentialed through Dietitians Australia, and can provide medical nutrition therapy. The term 'nutritionist' isn't as tightly regulated. For children with medical or feeding needs, look for an APD, and check that any speech pathologist or OT involved is credentialed with Speech Pathology Australia or AHPRA.
Dietetics can be funded under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living if it relates to your child's disability and supports their goals. Price limits are set in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which are updated each year. Check whether the provider is NDIS registered and how they handle claiming for self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed plans.
As a general guide only, an initial consultation often ranges from around $150 to $250, with follow-ups roughly $90 to $180. Fees vary between clinics and change over time, and NDIS price caps apply where relevant. You may also be able to access Medicare rebates via a GP Chronic Disease Management plan or private health extras. Always confirm current pricing with the provider.
There's no single 'right' age — paediatric dietitians support children from infancy through the teens. It may be worth booking if your child eats a very limited range of foods, is dropping foods without adding new ones, isn't gaining weight as expected, or if mealtimes are consistently stressful. Your GP or child health nurse can help you decide.
Many Adelaide providers offer telehealth appointments, which can be helpful for follow-ups, families with busy schedules, or those outside the metro area. Ask each clinic whether they offer telehealth, and whether it suits your child's needs — some feeding assessments may still benefit from an in-person visit.