Ask a Plan Manager: Dietitians and the NDIS
Experienced Leap in! plan manager Minell answers some of the most common questions families ask about dietitians and NDIS Plans.
Eating well looks different for every child. For some children and teens with disability, getting the right nutrition can come
with extra challenges, from difficulties chewing and swallowing to sensory sensitivities or medical needs.
Q. What does a dietitian do?
Dieticians are qualified professionals who specialise in food and nutrition. They work with people of all ages to support health, growth and wellbeing through nutrition.
For children and teens, a dietitian may support areas such as:
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Feeding challenges related to conditions such as cerebral palsy or Down syndrome
- Being underweight or overweight
- Food allergies or intolerances
- Gastrointestinal or bowel conditions
- Tube feeding or other non-oral feeding methods
- Nutrition needs linked to chronic conditions.
Q. How can a dietitian support my child?
A dietitian will usually ask about what your child eats, their health needs and any food-related goals, then work with you to develop a plan that supports their wellbeing. A dietitian may help with:
- Developing meal plans that meet your child’s nutrition needs
- Reducing stress or anxiety around mealtimes
- Supporting safe eating and drinking
- Improving independence with food and meals
- Managing allergies, intolerances or specialised diets
- Ensuring adequate nutrition when tube feeding or using supplements.
Dietitians work closely with families and may also collaborate with other allied health professionals involved in your child’s support team.
Q. Is dietitian support funded by the NDIS?
The NDIS does not fund supports that are purely for general health. However, dietitian support may be funded when it relates directly to your child’s disability and meets the NDIS reasonable and necessary criteria.
For example, if your child’s disability affects their ability to chew, swallow, tolerate certain foods or maintain adequate nutrition, the NDIS may fund dietetic support to address those disability-related needs. For older children and teens, this may include working with a dietitian on a plan to build knowledge and skills around healthy eating.
Q. Which NDIS budgets cover dietitian support?
Capacity Building supports
Dietitians are most commonly funded through Capacity Building supports, including:
- Improved Health and Wellbeing
- Improved Daily Living.
Consumables
In some cases, the Consumables budget may be used for approved disability- related nutrition items, such as feeding equipment, nutrition formulas or food thickeners.
GOOD TO KNOW
Recent changes to some NDIS budgets mean they may be “stated”. This means the funding can only be used for the specific services listed in your child’s plan.
There are two common scenarios:
1. No stated therapies.
If your child’s plan does not specify which therapies the funding is for, dietitian support can usually be accessed for their disability-related needs.
2. Stated therapies only.
If the plan names specific therapies, such as occupational therapy or speech pathology, but does not include dietitians, this funding can’t be used for dietetic support unless a plan variation or review is approved.
If you think dietitian support may help your child, it’s a good idea to raise this with your early childhood partner, local area coordinator or NDIA Planner. You can talk about how nutrition impacts your child’s daily life, health and ability to participate.
LEAP IN! IS A TWO-TIME WINNER OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING PLAN MANAGEMENT AWARD AND SUPPORTS FAMILIES ACROSS AUSTRALIA TO UNDERSTAND AND USE THEIR CHILD’S NDIS PLANS WITH CONFIDENCE. CALL 1300 05 78 78 OR EMAIL [email protected] TO LEARN MORE.
