We provide expert dietary therapies for Children's Services. Working with care givers and children, we offer practical tailored advice to enable self-management of specific medical conditions.

We liaise with the child or young person's Community Dietetics Team where applicable, and work closely within multidisciplinary teams across the following areas:

Planning an admission

Infant feeding

Oxford University Hospitals promotes, supports, protects and normalises breastfeeding as the healthiest way to feed a baby.

We are committed to achieving full UNICEF Baby Friendly Accreditation, recognised internationally as the gold standard for infant feeding care, with access to the Oxford Infant Feeding Team to support babies aged seven days to six weeks of age. Breastfeeding pumps are available on the wards.

For formula-fed infants, the ready-made standard infant formulas available on the ward include:

  • Aptamil 1 First Formula
  • SMA First
  • Cow & Gate First Formula.

For formula-fed infants requiring a non-standard, specialised formula, please bring their usual formula in an unopened container to give to our Milk Kitchen staff. Our Milk Kitchen staff will make up their feeds during your child's stay.

If your child is tube fed, it is useful to bring a box of their normal feed to the Children's Hospital to avoid any delay in starting feeds. We are currently unable to support the provision of blended diet in the inpatient setting - children who are fed blended diet in the community should have a plan in the case of admission.

We stock a small range of Abbott and specialist feeds. We may not stock non-Abbott feeds, so we advise you to bring a supply from home and allow for the time needed to order them.

We may stock some pureed baby food and baby cereal.

Inpatient meals

We offer three meals a day, and snacks mid-morning and afternoon. Snacks are available 24 hours a day, so tell your nurse if you are hungry or have missed a meal.

All ward menus include vegetarian, vegan, coeliac, halal, kosher, and allergy-friendly options. We offer a texture-modified children's menu and will be providing bite-dissolve snacks. Special occasion menus are available including Christmas and New Year's Day.

Please let the ward know in advance for specific dietary request orders and milk substitutes (standard soya / oat milk), which can be requested from catering by dietitians.

What to bring

Please bring:

  • any medications and/or specialist equipment your child uses every day
  • bottles, teats or drinking beakers or weaning / toddler-friendly cutlery your child prefers
  • your child's Child Health Record (red book), Hospital Passport and any relevant health records (such as a Shared Care Record)

Our team

  • Ruth Hornby
    Paediatric Dietetic Team Lead (Interim)
  • Katheryn Hodgetts
    Paediatric Dietetic Team Lead (Maternity Leave)
  • Anne-Marie Frohock
    Lead Paediatric Diabetes Dietitian Oxfordshire Children's Diabetes Service
  • Severine Gregory-Smith
    Paediatric Diabetes Dietitian
  • Gillian Reynolds
    Specialist Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Dietitian
  • Heather Knight
    Specialist Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Dietitian
  • Rosie Evans
    Specialist Paediatric Gastro and Allergy Dietitian
  • Kate Costello
    Specialist Paediatric Obesity (CREW) Dietitian
  • Ruth Fisher
    Specialist Paediatric Ketogenic Dietitian
  • Megan Holland
    Paediatric Dietitian
  • Scarlett Trewavas
    Paediatric Dietitian
  • Sophie Feather
    Paediatric Dietitian
  • Kate Fenn
    Paediatric Dietitian
  • Ana Meca
    Dietetic Administration and Support Worker
  • Meghna Mundkur
    Ketogenic Dietetic Support Worker

Resources

Healthy eating for children

British Dietetic Association (BDA) - Food Facts

Food Fact Sheets

These are for information only and are not a substitute for proper medical diagnosis or dietary advice given by a Dietitian.

Other

Breastfeeding

Weaning

Complementary feeding (weaning) - BDA Fact Sheet

Food allergies

Coeliac disease

Find us and contact us

Paediatric Dietetics
Lower Ground 1, Room 1010
John Radcliffe Hospital
Headley Way
Headington
Oxford OX3 9DU

How to find the John Radcliffe Hospital

For all urgent queries, or to speak with our Dietetic Administration Team, please call.

Paediatric Dietitians: 01865 234032

For non-urgent queries, please email.

Email: ouh-tr.paediatric.dietitians.jr@nhs.net

Adult dietetic enquiries: 01865 221702

Referrals

Paediatric Dietetics referrals