Nutrition for Children

The Department of Nutrition's highly qualified Dietitians provide clinical nutrition services including nutrition assessment, management and education for inpatients and outpatients of the Women's and Children's Hospital.

The Department has a strong commitment to contribute to the nutrition of the broader WCHN community through partnerships across the network. Current activities include:

Nutrition research.
Training and education in nutrition for undergraduate nutrition & dietetics, nursing and medical students, other dietitians, WCHN staff, health professionals and community workers.
Nutrition promotion, in collaboration with other departments and organisations to promote breastfeeding for infants and good food for children and their families.

The Department of Food Services provides high quality meals for patients staying in the Women's and Children's Hospital, caters for Hospital staff and visitors in The Café and Nic Nath Café on The Deck, and provides a functions service for meetings and events.

How to access this service

If an inpatient (someone currently staying in hospital) needs to see a Dietitian, a doctor will arrange a referral for nutrition assessment, advice and education.

Outpatient nutrition appointments are also available for infants, children, adolescents and adult women who are patients of the Women's and Children's Hospital with a referral from a doctor.

Referrals for children's outpatient nutrition consultations are only accepted from Women's and Children's Hospital, or doctors accredited with admitting rights to the WCH. For women patients, referrals are also accepted from the WCHN Midwifery Group Practice and Birthing Unit midwives.