Online consultation · Pakistan
Online dietitian for children and teenagers
Children are not small adults. A child dietitian checks growth on WHO growth charts, not adult BMI, and plans meals around age, appetite and school routine. Most concerns, such as picky eating, low weight or too much weight gain, are handled with food habits, not strict diets.
Who this consultation is for
- Your child is a picky eater, refuses vegetables or lives on biscuits, chips and juice.
- Your child is underweight, thin or not gaining weight as expected.
- Your child is overweight and you want a gentle plan without making them feel bad about food.
- Your teenager skips meals, eats mainly outside food or wants to diet.
- Your child has frequent infections, weak appetite or tiredness and you suspect nutrition.
- You want a school lunchbox and snack plan, or help starting solids for a baby.
What your dietitian looks at
A good plan starts with questions, not a template. In your first consultation the dietitian goes through:
Growth
Age, weight and height plotted on WHO growth charts, and the pattern over time, not one number.
Eating pattern
Meals, snacks, milk, juice and water through a typical day, who feeds the child and where.
Appetite and behaviour
Refusals, distraction at meals, screen use, force-feeding, and what has already been tried.
Health history
Birth weight, illnesses, constipation, allergies, medicines and any paediatrician's diagnosis.
Reports
Haemoglobin, vitamin D, thyroid, stool tests and other tests your paediatrician requested.
Family and school routine
Meals at school, tuition, sports, and what the household cooks and can afford.
What your plan includes
An age-appropriate meal chart
Meals and snacks with Pakistani food that suits your child's age, with portion sizes in familiar measures.
A picky eating plan
Simple, repeatable steps: new foods offered many times, small portions, no bribes or force, and a calm mealtime routine.
Healthy gain or healthy growth
For thin children, calorie-dense foods from the kitchen. For overweight children, the aim is slowing weight gain while height catches up, not losing weight fast.
Lunchbox and snack ideas
Quick school lunches and after-school snacks that replace biscuits, chips and juice boxes.
Teen guidance
Helping teenagers eat enough, avoid crash diets and handle outside food, sport and exams.
Follow-ups on growth
Weight and height rechecked on the chart, with changes to the plan.
What diet can and cannot do
- Children should not be put on weight loss diets. For an overweight child the goal is to keep weight steady as they grow taller, or to lose very slowly, under medical advice.
- Diet does not replace treatment for illnesses behind poor growth, such as thyroid disease, celiac disease, anaemia or chronic infection. A paediatrician should check these.
- Vitamins, appetite syrups and tonics are not a substitute for food. Use them only if your paediatrician prescribes them.
- Force-feeding, distraction with screens and rewards of sweets usually make fussy eating worse, not better.
- A baby under 6 months needs only breast milk or formula. Solids start at about 6 months.
School lunchbox ideas for Pakistani families
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Biscuits, chips, packaged cake | Egg paratha roll, chicken sandwich with cucumber, or besan chilla |
| Packaged juice box | Water, or milk in a flask; a whole fruit cut into pieces |
| Instant noodles | Vegetable pulao with raita, or daal with chapati roll |
| Samosa or pakora from the canteen | Roasted chanay, boiled egg, a banana or a small handful of nuts (if no allergy) |
Check your school's nut policy before sending nuts.
Keep these ready for your consultation
- Your child's age, current weight and height, and the child's growth card or last measurements.
- A simple diary of what your child ate and drank over 2 or 3 normal days, including milk and juice.
- Any recent blood tests and the paediatrician's notes, if any.
- The foods your child accepts, refuses and any allergies.
- Your child's school timings and lunchbox contents.
Do not worry if you do not have all of them. You can start without reports, and send them later when the dietitian asks.
See a doctor first if
- Your child has lost weight, has stopped growing, or is falling behind other children badly.
- There is repeated vomiting, diarrhoea, blood in stool, severe stomach pain or constant tiredness.
- Your child has swelling, very pale skin, or frequent infections.
- A baby is not feeding, has fewer wet nappies, or is under 6 months and not gaining weight.
- Your teenager is restricting food, has lost weight or is very afraid of gaining weight (possible eating disorder).
Diet works alongside medical treatment and never replaces it. Do not stop or change any medicine because of a diet plan.
Kids nutrition: common questions
My child refuses all vegetables. What should I do?
Keep offering a small amount (a teaspoon) of one vegetable at family meals, 10 to 15 times, without pressure or bribes. Mix them into daal, paratha or cutlets, and let the child see you eating them. Most children accept a food after many calm exposures.
How do I know if my child is underweight?
A paediatrician or dietitian plots weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age on WHO growth charts. A child who is on a steady curve is usually fine even if small, while a child who is dropping across the lines needs a check.
Is it safe to give milk, juice or tonic for weight?
Milk is useful up to about 2 to 3 glasses a day for most children. More milk reduces appetite for other food and can cause anaemia. Juice and packaged drinks add sugar, not nutrition. Tonics are not needed unless prescribed.
Should my overweight child go on a diet?
No strict diet. We reduce sugary drinks, fried snacks and screen-time eating, increase activity and keep family meals regular, so the child grows taller while weight stays steady. This is done gently and without blaming the child.
When should I start solids for my baby?
At about 6 months, alongside breast milk. Begin with mashed daal, khichdi, soft vegetables and fruit, and add iron-rich foods early. Avoid honey before 1 year and salt and sugar in baby food.
Can a teenager follow the same plan as an adult?
No. Teenagers are still growing and need enough energy and calcium. A dietitian plans teen meals for growth, sport and exams, not for rapid weight loss.
Free guides while you decide
General information from our diet plans. They are a starting point; your own plan is set for your body.
Related services
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