Managing a child’s diet is never straightforward—especially when allergies, feeding issues, or nutritional concerns are part of the picture. If your child is struggling with food allergies, poor growth, or other dietary issues, the guidance of a paediatric dietitian can be life-changing.
At Dr Helen Medical, we work alongside Danel, a highly experienced and compassionate paediatric dietitian who specialises in child nutrition.
Danel is committed to providing individualised, evidence-based nutritional care to support your child’s health and make life easier for your whole family.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore your child’s dietary needs or have been dealing with ongoing challenges, you don’t have to do it alone.
A paediatric dietitian is a qualified expert in child nutrition who helps ensure children receive the right balance of nutrients to support their growth, development, and wellbeing—even when faced with medical or behavioural challenges around food.
Danel’s role goes far beyond simply advising what your child should eat. She works closely with families to understand the bigger picture: your child’s health history, lifestyle, medical conditions, emotional relationship with food, and any family concerns around feeding and nutrition.
Paediatric Dietitian
Danel is a highly experienced paediatric dietitian currently working at University Hospitals Dorset. With over 20 years of experience in the field of dietetics, she has worn many hats throughout her career—but her true passion lies in working with children and their families.
Her specialist areas include managing food allergies, fussy eating, weaning, tube feeding, blended diets, nutrient deficiencies, and poor growth. Over the years, Danel has witnessed a significant rise in both the number and complexity of food allergies in children. She understands how overwhelming and distressing this can be for families, particularly when faced with inconsistent advice from healthcare professionals, peers, and the media. This often leads to confusion and, in some cases, the unnecessary avoidance of certain food allergens.
Danel is deeply committed to offering tailored, evidence-based nutritional support. Her approach is child-centred, taking into account not just medical and nutritional needs, but also the child’s overall development, physical health, and quality of life.
She is delighted to be joining Dr Helen and her team, and is excited to contribute her expertise to improving the lives of children living with food allergies.
Her support can be life-enhancing in situations such as:
Danel provides a warm, supportive and structured approach to understanding your child’s nutritional needs.
Your initial consultation will include:
A comprehensive health and dietary assessment - looking at current diet, growth charts, feeding history, medical conditions, and your own concerns as a parent
A physical check (where appropriate) to help identify any visible signs of nutritional deficiency or poor growth
Discussion of lifestyle factors, such as school routines, nursery snacks, cultural or family food preferences, and any restrictions or stress around mealtimes
An action-focused treatment plan, developed in collaboration with you, with realistic and achievable steps
After your appointment, you’ll be sent:
This approach ensures that you always feel supported, informed, and equipped to help your child thrive.
Dealing with a child’s dietary needs–particularly when allergies or
medical concerns are involved–can be overwhelming and emotionally
exhausting for parents. You may find yourself constantly reading labels,
avoiding social situations, or worrying about nutritional balance.
At Dr Helen Medical, we believe in making food and nutrition less
stressful and more joyful again. Danel’s goal is not just to improve
your child’s nutrition, but to help you feel more confident and less
anxious about feeding your child.
Managing allergies at school or nursery
Safe meal planning for eating out or travelling
Balancing dietary restrictions with nutritional needs
Helping children develop a healthy, positive relationship with food
No referral is necessary - you can book directly with us. However, we're also happy to work alongside your GP, paediatrician, or allergy consultant if you already have one involved in your child's care.
Danel works with babies from the weaning stage right through to teenagers. Her advice is tailored to your child's specific age and developmental needs.
Yes. If your child is showing signs of a food allergy or intolerance, Danel can assess their diet and symptoms, and recommend the next steps - including referral for allergy testing if needed.
Absolutely. After your consultation, you'll receive a full written summary with clear recommendations you can refer back to at home, school, and with other healthcare professionals.
Yes. Feeding difficulties like fussy eating, food refusal, and texture aversions are a common reason families seek support. Danel uses a gentle, child-led approach to help ease anxiety and expand dietary variety.
Initial consultations usually last 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of your child's case. Follow-up appointments are shorter and focus on monitoring progress and adjusting the plan as needed.
