The Best Pediatric Nutritionists in Los Angeles at Your Fingertips
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Find the Best Pediatric Nutritionists & Dietitians in Los Angeles
Children have complex needs. This is especially true when it comes to their diet and eating habits. From premature babies and weaning infants to picky eaters and overweight teenagers, many children – and their parents – stand to benefit from the professional support and guidance of a pediatric nutritionist. When you work with a pediatric expert from Top Nutrition Coaching, you'll be in safe hands knowing that you have an experienced nutritionist with the passion, expertise, and knowledge to help your family lead healthier, happier lives.
Dana Kearney
Registered Dietitian
As a registered dietitian, Dana has nearly two decades of experience addressing the nutritional requirements of infants, children, and adolescents. She has expertise in newborn feeding, weaning, starting solid food, young picky eaters, food allergies, and children with weight management struggles. Dana has experience working with prenatal and postpartum women, cardiac issues, diabetes, and general wellness clients. Dana earned her bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Pennsylvania State and her master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Marywood University.
Rachel Gargano
Registered Dietitian
Rachel has over 15 years of experience as a registered dietitian nutritionist. She specializes in working with infants, children, prenatal and postpartum mothers, and athletes. Rachel has a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Skidmore College and a master's degree in Nutrition Communications from Tufts University. She is a certified breastfeeding specialist, a certified specialist in sports dietetics, and has a further certification in maternal and infant nutrition from Cornell.
Katie Wengryniuk
Registered Dietitian
Katie is a registered dietitian with a decade of experience and wide-ranging areas of expertise. She earned her bachelor's degree in Dietetics from Ohio State and her master's degree in Clinical Nutrition from Rush University. Katie has spent much of her career at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, including the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, specializing in pediatric nutrition, weight loss, gastrointestinal issues, and general wellness.
Find a nutritionist who understands you - your goals, your challenges, your lifestyle.
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Get the Support You Need to Ensure Your Child Has the Healthiest Start in Life
Take our holistic health assessment
To get started, answer a few quick questions about your child's diet and nutritional challenges.
Free 15-minute nutrition consultation
All prospective Top Nutrition Coaching clients are offered a free nutrition consultation with one of our nutrition specialists. You'll discuss what you're looking for in a nutritionist and explain the specifics of your child's unique needs, background, and lifestyle factors.
Get matched to the right nutritionist
After your consultation, our nutritionist specialist will look at your child's needs and select a pediatric nutritionist who has the ideal experience, personality, and knowledge to design the proper nutrition plan for your child.
Work with a pediatric nutritionist in Los Angeles to get your family's eating habits on the right track
Free matching service that finds you the right nutritionist
Our nutrition experts will get to know your child's health needs so that they can choose the right nutritionist for a successful outcome.
Virtual consultations with your expert, at your pace
You'll meet with your pediatric nutritionist at least twice a month by attending virtual nutrition counseling sessions through our secure telehealth platform.
Personalized nutrition and lifestyle plans
Pediatric nutritionists can work with children ranging from tiny premature babies with feeding difficulties to teenagers struggling with eating disorders or weight control issues. Whether you need guidance regarding breastfeeding, proper nutrition support for weaning infants, medical nutrition therapy, or helping picky eaters embrace new flavors, working with a pediatric nutrition professional can make a monumental difference to your family's wellness and happiness.
Intro call with your nutritionist
You'll get to know your matched pediatric nutritionist during your introductory call. They'll explain their strategy for working with your child so that you can ensure it's a good fit for your family.
Benefits of Working with a Pediatric Nutritionist vs. Going It Alone
Many parents try to tackle their children's nutritional challenges on their own, which can be lonely and frustrating. When your child has complex needs such as food allergies, weight management difficulties, or an eating disorder, working with a pediatric nutritionist is a much better choice for helping them achieve optimal wellness and have a good relationship with food.
Here are just a few of the many benefits of working with a pediatric nutritionist.
Pediatric Nutritionists Have Extensive Experience and Professional Training
Working with a pediatric nutritionist takes the guesswork out of trying to help your child. Pediatric nutritionists have completed degrees in nutrition science, supplemented by further training in working with infants, children, and adolescents. They know exactly what to look for and which questions to ask because they have worked with hundreds of children with similar health and nutrition issues.
A Pediatric Nutritionist Will Look at Your Child's Complete Health Profile
Your consultation with a pediatric nutritionist begins with an assessment. To help your child, the nutritionist will need to compile a complete picture of their health. They will ask in-depth questions regarding medical history and growth and discuss any health issues, lifestyle factors, or personality traits that could contribute to your child's nutritional challenges. They'll use the information they gather about your child to create a personalized nutrition plan.
Pediatric Nutritionists Work with Children of All Ages – and Their Parents
Pediatric nutritionists can work with children ranging from tiny premature babies with feeding difficulties to teenagers struggling with eating disorders or weight control issues. Whether you need guidance regarding breastfeeding, proper nutrition support for weaning infants, medical nutrition therapy, or helping picky eaters embrace new flavors, working with a pediatric nutrition professional can make a monumental difference to your family's wellness and happiness.
Our client outcomes
98%
Clients with IBS symptoms
reduced severity & frequency of IBS symptoms
89%
Clients wanting weight loss
sustained target weight for longer than 12 months
96%
Clients with diabetes
lowered their hb1ac levels and lost weight
87%
Clients with kidney disease
improved symptoms of kidney disease
Your Personal Nutritionist in Los Angeles Is Just a Click Away
Choosing a pediatric nutritionist is a big decision for families. You want to ensure that your child will be cared for by an expert with the qualifications, experience, and approach to give your family the support you need.
Availability
Working with an online nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching allows you to get help as soon as you need it. Rather than getting put on a long waiting list, our nutrition specialist will pair you with a pediatric nutritionist who has immediate availability to work with new clients. Rather than traveling across Los Angeles and fighting through snarled traffic, you'll have all of your appointments from the comfort of your own home, at times that fit your busy schedule. You also won't have to worry about social distancing or exposing your family to communicable diseases in a health care setting, which is especially relevant if you have an infant or a child with a weakened immune system. You'll meet with your nutritionist for at least two scheduled virtual nutrition counseling sessions every month while also having access to their expertise and support through our messaging service. Outside of appointment times, your pediatric nutritionist is just a message away if you ever have a question or concern about your child's health or nutritional needs.
Qualifications
All of the nutritionists at Top Nutrition Coaching are registered dietitians who have completed a bachelor's degree in clinical nutrition or a field related to nutrition science. Most of our team members have master's degrees and additional training in topics like weight management, diabetes, pregnancy, postnatal nutrition, sports nutrition, and more, so they have the tools to deal with even the most complex situations. Our pediatric specialists have completed further training on a wide range of topics relating to children's health, which has prepared them to create personalized nutrition plans and special diets for children of all ages and backgrounds.
Reputation
At Top Nutrition Coaching, we are incredibly selective about the nutritionists we invite to join our team. In addition to our requirements for education, experience, and successful client outcomes, we have a thorough vetting process involving multiple rounds of interviews and detailed case studies that our candidates must complete. We also ensure that our nutritionists have the creativity, interpersonal skills, and resiliency to help their clients achieve their goals, no matter how complex. To date, our careful hiring process means that fewer than 3% of candidates will ultimately join Top Nutrition Coaching.
Experience
Our pediatric dietitians have worked with hundreds of infants, children, and teenagers with various nutritional needs. In addition to completing dietetic internships, they have worked in settings such as private practice, children's hospitals, university health centers, sports clubs, and nonprofit organizations. They are just as comfortable giving parents nutrition guidance on transitioning to solid foods as counseling teenagers with weight management issues. We are careful only to hire nutritionists who demonstrate that their previous clients successfully reached their nutrition goals.
About Los Angeles Specific Registered Dietitians
There are several key steps involved in becoming a registered dietitian in California:
- Applicants must fulfill the educational and experiential requirements of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), which mandates that all registered dietitians in California must complete a degree program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
- A dietetic internship consisting of 1,200 hours of practical work follows the completion of a bachelor's or master's degree in clinical nutrition.
- Within a year of completing their internship, applicants must pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam.
- Once the applicant passes the CDR exam, they can begin working as a registered dietitian. Their registration must be renewed every five years and involves completing 75 continuing professional education units (CPEUs).
Get Over the Los Angeles Hurdles and Get Back to Health
In many ways, Los Angeles is a wonderful place to raise a family, but it has its challenges, especially when it comes to following a healthy diet. From readily available fast food to the constant media attention of impossibly thin celebrities, children and teenagers in Los Angeles are surrounded by influences that can disrupt their healthy development.
Prevalent fast food, sedentary habits, and childhood obesity issues
It's common knowledge that childhood obesity is a significant problem in the United States, and Los Angeles is no exception. Despite plentiful fresh food options and opportunities to exercise, many children and young people lead primarily sedentary lives and gravitate towards unhealthy processed foods. Sometimes, these habits begin at a young age, with children and even toddlers preferring screen time to outdoor activities and processed "junk food" to more nutritious food options. For many families, these habits can sometimes result from busy schedules that leave little time for cooking healthy, balanced meals that children and adults can enjoy together.
Adolescents and disordered eating
Disordered eating is another alarmingly prevalent health challenge among young people in Los Angeles. Unsurprisingly, the hometown of Hollywood is an image-conscious place, with constant pressure on teenage girls to look thin and adolescent boys to look muscular. Peer pressure and the influence of social media exacerbate the expectation that adolescents need to be of a specific size and shape. Unfortunately, this pressure can lead some young people to deny themselves the calories their bodies need to grow and develop healthily, resulting in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
When working in conjunction with mental health professionals and a medical team, a pediatric nutritionist can provide the knowledge and tools to assist these young people in tackling their body image issues and gradually adopting a well-balanced diet and lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an expert nutritionist?
An expert nutritionist will have completed the required professional qualifications, such as a bachelor's degree or master's degree, a dietetic internship, and the CDR exam. They should also have years of experience in the field and additional training in their chosen specialty, such as pediatric nutrition. However, to truly be an expert nutritionist, they must also have a strong desire to help their patients make sustainable dietary changes and reach their health goals.
How much does a pediatric nutritionist cost in Los Angeles?
An initial one-hour consultation with a registered dietitian in Los Angeles costs anywhere from $100 to $200. After the first appointment, subsequent sessions could cost anywhere from $50-$150. Nutritionists set their rates based on their qualifications, areas of expertise, years of experience, and geographic location.
What does a two-week risk-free trial mean?
All of our clients have two weeks to decide whether Top Nutrition Coaching’s virtual nutrition counseling sessions are a good fit. If they aren’t satisfied, clients can cancel their use of the service after two weeks and receive a full refund.
What does the nutrition specialist help with?
Our nutrition specialists will contact you to learn more about your child's needs, delving into their eating and sleeping patterns, physical activity level, food preferences, health history, and more. Based on this information, they'll select a pediatric nutritionist with the proper training, experience, and approach to successfully design a personalized nutrition plan that works for your family.
What if I don't like the recommendations the nutrition specialist provides?
Our nutrition specialists have an excellent track record of matching families with pediatric nutritionists. However, if you aren't pleased with your paired nutritionist and their proposed nutrition program, we will be happy to find a different pediatric expert to work with you.
Full Transparency Pros and Cons
Although we have every confidence in our online nutrition platform, you have options when it comes to supporting your child's nutritional needs. Here are some alternatives to online pediatric nutrition counseling and their advantages and disadvantages.
In-Person Pediatric Nutritionists
Pros
- Your insurance provider may cover appointments with a pediatric nutritionist in the Los Angeles area if your child has a severe health condition and could benefit from medical nutrition therapy.
- Depending on your child's needs, your nutritionist may recommend specific diagnostic tests that must be conducted in person.
Cons
- You're limited to pediatric nutritionists in Los Angeles rather than having access to pediatric experts from all over the country via a telehealth platform.
- Traveling to in-person appointments in Los Angeles traffic is frequently challenging and is even more difficult with a baby or child in tow.
- For busy parents juggling work and family commitments, it isn't easy to fit nutritionist appointments into busy schedules.
Online Nutrition Resources
Pros
- You can find some comprehensive nutrition resources online published by universities, government agencies, and health websites. This can be a good starting point for familiarizing yourself with your child's nutritional needs, finding healthy recipes, or getting general advice about topics like breastfeeding and weaning.
Cons
- You won't find personalized nutrition plans that consider your child's unique characteristics and specific circumstances, such as sleep patterns, growth charts, or medical history.
- You may encounter conflicting and often contradictory advice about issues like breastfeeding difficulties, picky eaters, or adolescent weight gain. If you don't choose reputable sources, some information may be biased, misleading, or focused on selling a product.
Online Meal Plans
Pros
- For busy families, an online meal plan simplifies the process of planning and preparing meals.
- Some online meal plans cater to specific dietary requirements: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or high-protein.
Cons
- There are very few online meal plans designed to meet the nutritional needs of young children, who have precise nutrient requirements.
- If your child has complex feeding issues, an online meal plan won't assist with allergies, food intolerances, or weight control.
- Online meal plans are much more expensive than shopping for groceries, especially when feeding a large family.
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