Nutrition Services

Nutrition is an important part of your child’s growth, development and overall health. Our Nutrition team is composed of experienced registered dietitians who provide nutrition care and consulting services at both the hospital and our outpatient clinics.

We work closely with specialists and providers across Mary Bridge Children’s to give your child comprehensive nutritional care and guidance. We help parents and families set and reach goals for their child’s health and quality of life.

Conditions treated

Raising a healthy child is every parent’s top priority. And sometimes it can feel like an overwhelming task. Mary Bridge Children’s Nutrition Services can help parents when it comes to nutritional concerns such as:

• General feeding concerns and questions: Unsure how to start solid foods for an infant? Have a teen trying a vegetarian/vegan diet? Questions about supplements or general nutrition? We can guide families down the right path.
• Multiple food allergies: Children who react badly to foods of an entire food group, or more than one food group, have severely limited food options. These limitations can impair their ability to get enough calories and protein to support growth and brain development. It also puts them at high risk for vitamin/mineral deficiencies.
• Picky eating: Many children will love a food one day and hate it the next. Other children will be much more particular about the foods they accept. We can help guide parents in understanding normal eating and provide personalized strategies to best assist children who have limited food acceptance.
• Sports nutrition: Children and teens who are highly active and involved in sports have unique nutrition needs. We can assist young athletes in developing meal and snack plans that will promote optimal health and performance in their favorite sport or activity.
• Weight and wellness: Whether parents are concerned about their child gaining weight too quickly or too slowly, we will help ease their concerns and provide tailored strategies for ensuring their child grows up healthy and happy.

Outpatient nutrition services

Children with chronic conditions or serious illnesses often have special nutritional needs. Our Nutrition team collaborates with specialists throughout Mary Bridge Children’s to develop a specialized nutrition plan for children with medical conditions, including:

We also offer specialty nutrition clinics in the following areas:

• Diabetes & Endocrinology
• Digestive Health
• Gender Health
• Hematology/Oncology
• Medical Genetics
• Nephrology
• Pulmonary Care

If your child is seen in one of our specialty clinics, a dietitian is part of their care team. You and your child will receive nutrition support as part of your child’s treatment plan.

Children who are not currently patients at one of our specialty clinics can be referred to our services by their doctor.

During your child’s visit with one of our dietitians, we will gather a full nutrition and health history and devise an individualized strategy for healthful eating/feeding that works for your child and family. Follow-up visits are scheduled as needed.

The following resources offer helpful nutrition tips and information, and are available in English and Spanish:

• Family Wellness Toolkit
• Kit de Bienestar Familiar (Español)
• 5 Keys to Feeding Well
• 5 Claves Para Una Buena Alimentacion (Español)
• YMCA’s ACT Program Brochure

Mary Bridge Children’s Nutrition Services are available in our outreach clinics in Federal Way, Covington, Puyallup, Olympia and Gig Harbor when a specialty team visits these sites.

A referral is required to schedule an appointment with Mary Bridge Children’s Nutrition Services. For more information, please call 253-792-6630.