Specialties: Pediatric and Family Nutrition

Christina is an experienced pediatric dietitian having been trained at Children's Memorial Hospital and leaving the staff as Senior Clinical Dietitian.  Christina collaborates with your pediatrician, speech therapist and any other member of the medical team to help create a treatment plan unique to your child's needs.  

Christina can help you and your child with:

• failure to thrive 
• picky eating
• poor or excessive weight gain
• general pediatric nutrition
• management of enteral (tube) feeding
• among other areas.  

A Baby's First Year in Foods

Developmental Stages of Eating

0-6 months: sucks, no propping, no lying flat, wipe gums

5-7 months: swallows voluntarily; tongue not pushing food out (strained food)

6-9 months: sits up alone, no lap; no grazing (mashed and minced food)

7-9 months: chews; some teeth (chopped/cut-up food)

7-9 months: grasps food with thumb and fingers, the pincher grasp (chopped/cut-up food)

9-12 months: holds food to mouth on own (chopped/cut-up food)

9-12 months:  holds extra spoon (chopped/cut up food)

12-18 months: uses spoon (table-texture food)

2 years+ : uses untensils independently (table-texture food)

Why do we start solids in color groups? 

• The taste is similar within a group; so, when one is accepted, the others also will probably be accepted.
• Orange comes before green because vitamin content is better for baby. 
• Grouping colors lessens the possibility of allergies and sensitivities because of similarities within groups.  

Tips for Parents of Picky Eaters

Working with a picky eater can be challenging for everyone involved.  Especially since food is offered at least 5 to 6 times per day.  First, recognize that your child does not have the same eating pattern as you and that his/her pattern varies from day to day as well as his/her appetite, just as yours does.   Below are some tips to help ease the frustration and anxiety you and your child may be experiencing with food.  

For Your Child

• Have a quiet time before meals to let kids calm themselves, and they will eat better
• Schedule meals so kids can eat every 3 to 4 hours.  This helps body clocks regulate and also helps children learn what it feels like to be hungry and full.
• Expect kids to leave food on their plates, never require kids to clean their plates.
• Eat together as a family, so children see others enjoying their food and healthful eating patterns. 
• Let children self-regulate by deciding how much they eat and when they've had enough.  

For You

• Keep mealtime positive and ignore negative behavior whenever possible.  
• Never bribe or reward your child to eat, and never use food as a bribe, reward or punishment (especially dessert); keep food neutral.  
• Never be a short-order cook; let your kids help plan the menus and stick to this nonnegotiable menu.  Serve one meal for the whole family; modify it (size of foods, texture, or portion size) for your toddler or preschooler. 
• Avoid a power struggle and never battle over food.  If your child refuses to eat (doesn't like the food, is not hungry, or not feeling well), never force him/her to eat or punish him/her for not eating.