Are you, your child or someone in your care struggling with poor nutrition or challenges with eating and you’re not sure where to start with seeking help? It can be confusing to navigate nutrition and know the difference between the services.
Our team of highly qualified dietitians have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and chronic health conditions to provide tailored therapy programs that are designed to meet your individual needs and goals.
When it comes to working with individuals with disabilities, it’s important to understand the difference between dietitians, nutritionists, and naturopaths. While all three professionals may provide guidance on nutrition, their qualifications and roles vary.
Dietitians are healthcare professionals who are specifically trained in medical nutrition therapy and have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. Dietitians may work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and of course online therapy. Dietitians will provide individualised nutrition care plans to manage and prevent chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and gastrointestinal disorders. They provide tailored nutrition care plans to address individual health concerns and goals and they work with individuals with complex medical needs, such as feeding difficulties, tube feeding, and allergies or intolerances.
Dietitians are the only ones recognised under the NDIS price guide.
Nutritionists can have a range of educational backgrounds and qualifications, from a bachelor’s degree in nutrition to a short course or certification. While some nutritionists may have specialised training in working with individuals with disabilities, dietitians receive additional training and accreditation that enable dietetics services to be covered by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Naturopaths are alternative healthcare providers who use natural remedies, such as herbs and supplements, to prevent and treat illness. While a naturopath may have training in nutrition, their qualifications and expertise may vary widely, and their remedies may not be backed by scientific evidence.
How a dietitian supports people with disabilities and chronic health conditions
Therapy Connect is Australia’s leading online allied health therapy provider. As an NDIS registered provider, we offer therapy with our team of dietitians to help children to adults with a range of chronic health conditions and disabilities. Our team of dietitians is dedicated to providing evidence-based online therapy. We work closely with clients and their families to develop tailored programs that address individual health concerns and goals, considering their unique needs and preferences.
We work with individuals, families and caregivers
We understand that nutrition can be a complex topic, and that’s why we work with not just individuals but their families or caregivers to empower the whole household with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their health.
Individual Programs, Tailored Your Needs
When it comes to working with children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities, it’s important to consider the individual’s unique needs and preferences. Dietitians are trained to work with individuals to develop tailored nutrition care plans that address their specific health concerns and goals.
When you see a dietitian, you might get:
- a nutritional needs assessment
- a personalised eating plan
- nutritional counselling
- healthy eating and shopping advice
- advice to help treat a diet-related illness
So whether you need support with a specific concern or simply want to boost your general health, knowledge or independence levels – Therapy Connect creates solutions for everyone.
While dietitians, nutritionists, and naturopaths all provide guidance on nutrition, their roles and qualifications vary. At Therapy Connect, we understand that when working with children, adolescents or adults with chronic health conditions and disabilities, it’s important to consider the individual’s specific needs and goals so that we can tailor therapy programs to meet you where you are. If you have concerns about your nutrition or your child’s nutrition, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor or contact us at Therapy Connect and make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We are an NDIS registered provider, so our sessions are 100% NDIS funded.
