About me
Who am I...
I am a multidisciplinary nutritionist with extensive knowledge in the biochemistry of human nutrition, neurochemistry and eating difficulties, sensory processing disorders, and oral motor problems. My experience is in Nutrition Education, Intervention, and Lifestyle for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Down Syndrome.
I also specialised as a Feeding Therapist, supporting feeding difficulties based on advanced and mentoring courses on the SOS Approach to Feeding, Get Permission, and others. I sought to specialise in behavioural difficulties in paediatrics because I understand the journey of parents who have the sublime task (mission, commitment) of accompanying their children with special needs and seeking the best quality of life for them.
I understand your needs and combine my experience with a compassionate and caring personality that allows me to work individually or in a group, looking for the best result for each individual, according to their current moment.
I understand that each situation is unique and should be treated as such. However, I am sure I can help you.
Graduation and primary certification:
- Master's Degree in Human Nutrition - Deakin University – Australia
- Graduate Diploma (Lato Sensu Postgraduate Degree) - in Functional Nutrition for ADS-ADHD-Neurodevelopmental Dealy- Institute Ciclos Ensino- Brasil
- Graduating Diplom (Lato Sensu Postgraduate Degree) - Integral Approach In Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD.
- Autism Mastery Course - Autism Treatment Specialist- Integrative Medicine Academy - USA
- Mentorship SOS Approach to Feeding- Mentorship Program-USA
- Responsive Feeding - Foundational Series - Responsive Pro
- Neuroscience and Supplementation in ASD-ADHD and Anxiety and Depression - Fabricio Assini (Pharmaceutical) Brazil
- Functional Nutrition in ASD, ADHS and Neurodevelopmental Delays - Claudia Marcelino (Nutritionist)- Brazil
- Functional Nutritional Treatment Protocol for ASD - Academia Nutriticao e Autismo - Adriana Siqueira (Nutricionista)- Brazil
- Certification SOS Approach to Feeding - Feeding the Child on the Autism Spectrum Disorder; Oral Motor Steps to Eating – USA
- Get Permission Approach - From evaluation to Therapy - Marsha Dun Klein
- ARFID Master Class- Talk Tools - Melanie Potock
- Food Difficulties in Childhood- Naureen Hunani (Registered Dietitian) - Camila Fussi Saude e Educacao Ltda.- Brazil
- Nutritional Therapy for ASD - Academia Nutricao E Autismo - Adriana Siqueira (Reg.Nutritionist)
- Allergy and Food Hypersensitivity in Neurodevelopmental Disorders - Dr Denise Carreiro (Reg. Nutritionist). And other (access LinkedIn)
Functional Nutrition for Special Needs Children
Nutritional Care in Autism, ADHD, T21 and, attempts to reduce related symptoms through dietary intervention and nutritional supplements when needed, focusing on the individual as a whole for improved development of the child from childhood to maturity.
Main objectives of the nutritional protocol:
- Food Selectivity
- Food Sensitivities, Allergies, Intolerances
- Intestinal Dysbiosis
- Methylation Problems
- Detoxification problems
- Intestinal Modulation
- Behavioural issues
- Feeding Therapy
Nutritional Feeding Therapy
Food selectivity, food refusal, food neophobia, and picky eating are some of the eating difficulties developed by many children, which can be transient or worsen to generate a nutritional disorder.
Main objectives of the feeding therapy protocol:
Main objectives of the nutritional protocol:
- Food choices and modification
- Family strategies
- Enteroception
- Sensory Proprieties of foods
- Supplementary needs
- Behavioural issues
Services
1-Purpose of Paediatric Nutrition Services for ASD-ADHD-T21 and Neurodevelopmental Disorders:
First, I will conduct a clinical evaluation: of your child’s health history, signs, symptoms, medications, food routine, activity routine, aversions, allergies, and food preferences.
Then, I will perform a biochemical evaluation: with a recent blood test (less than six months) that the child has already performed.
Otherwise, I will make a referral with the pertinent exams to be ordered by your GP.
I can also evaluate your child’s DNA genetic test and functional exams such as OAT and Stool Test analyses and base the functional nutrition on those parameters.
After the consultation, a food plan will be developed, with all the appropriate tools for its implementation.
This will include modifying the current dietary intake and introducing individual nutritional intake based on dietary requirements, special diets, current symptoms, and blood exams.
I also apply Feeding Therapy strategies to better accommodate the sensory proprieties to food types while implementing a nutritional protocol for ASD-ADHD-T21.
Supplements will be recommended individually based on symptomatology, nutritional deficits, blood tests, and functional assessments. I will order a compounding formulation concentrating on the child’s demands and tolerances in extraordinary circumstances, such as challenges with sensory proprieties of a supplement and difficulties with swallowing and flavour.
Nutritional monitoring will be done according to individual needs.
The next appointment is previously scheduled at the end of the service. This service can be provided online and presential.
PAEDIATRIC NUTRITION CLINICAL CONSULTATION (60-90 min)
Pre-questionnaire Review
Dietary- Supplement Review
Blood Analyses – Functional Medicine Analyses
Functional Exams Referral-Analyses
Initial Dietary Plan Adjustments – Special Diets
Initial Individual Supplement Plan
FOLLOW UP (40 min) (initially every 3-4 weeks)
Dietary Plan Adjustments – individual recommendation
Supplementation Review – recommendation
Functional Nutritional Class *general explanation of the condition
Recipes recommendation
2.FEEDING THERAPY
How does the therapy work?
Initially, the lessons are organized around the goals of particular children and parents. Some parents may opt to work in tandem with a nutritional regimen and focus on the meals that the child requires, for example, to reduce food sensitivities or manage behavioural responses to certain foods and symptoms associated with them. We will, however, always address a child’s sensory issues with particular foods. Increase their tolerance and adaption to seeing, touching, and manipulating it until they decide to appreciate and try foods and liquids.
The parent will receive some advice during each session to apply during the week. Additionally, the parent will contact me via WhatsApp for more personalised guidance when needed.
It is primordial to respect the child’s time and responses to food by allowing them to self-motivation and feel comfortable trying and enjoying new food textures and varieties.
Sessions will be held with the responsible.
I provide individual therapy in the Wollongong region /NSW
Based on the SOS Approach to Feeding, I also provide online family meal solutions, including family meal analysis and comments, to promote greater family engagement during mealtime. While guiding the family about food sensory preferences and changes to reach individual nutrient-dense foods, I also add Food Chaining, tactics from different professional approaches in feeding therapy, and my approach based on studies and experiences.
3-Integrating Therapies
Occupational Therapy, Speech-language Pathologist, Psychologist
Some neurodivergent children have physical disorders, and they are all different from one another, with a variety of comorbidities that may not be medically treated. These factors can impact their capacity to learn, socialise, adapt and cope. Integrating specialists who have studied those disorders and can identify and comprehend them and their comorbidities can help the family understand the child and the child have better development and quality of life.
Main objectives of the Integrating Services:
Sensory Food Proprieties
Identification of gastrointestinal signs and symptoms and nutritional protocol
Dietary and Supplementary approach for comorbidities related to the Central Nervous System and Psychiatric disorders
Identification of Infectious, Immunological, and Mitochondrial Dysfunction, among other comorbidities and nutritional approach.
NUTRITION ASSESSMENT – FEEDING THERAPY
Pre-Questionnaire Review and Analyses
Video – Assessment of Feeding Routine at Home
Food Sensitive Test * only at home visit
Home Recommendation – Goals
Discussion of Goals with the Professional
Written Report – detailed assessment results including home recommendation *only after 5 sessions and price not included
4-Neuro Supplementation and Nutritional Psychiatry
It is known that when there is an unbalanced of neurotransmitters, it may change behaviour.
Sometimes is important to intervene with individualised supplementation, specifically when the current symptomatology is interfering with a child’s development. Or the symptoms interfere with the nutritional protocol and the feeding therapy intervention, as unbalanced neurotransmitters may cause behaviour changes. The common deficit of nutrients that participates in the syntheses of neurotransmitters and cellular energy function are magnesium, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B5, and others, commonly lowered in children with ASD-ADHD.
A child’s nutritional deficiencies (limited nutritional intake or blood analyses) can affect the microbiome, increase immune activity, develop neuroinflammation, and exacerbate common symptomatology, primarily sensory sensitivities. The potential foods that may cause behavioural changes are processed foods containing chemical additives, food colouring, artificial flavours; gluten, casein or any food allergens, excess refined sugars and flours, besides the phenol group (amine, salicylates, and glutamates), commonly seen in the diet of the children with feeding difficulties. In addition, those same foods may cause addiction, food sensitivities-allergies, and gastrointestinal problems, perpetuating the cycle of feeding selectivity, sensory disorders, and behaviour.
For this reason, it is important to receive an assertive and individual nutritional supplementation prescription based on medication interaction, dosages for paediatrics, and mechanisms and non-provocation of side effects; while working on the respective dietary intake by balancing nutrients and reducing potential inflammatory foods.
5 -Organic Acid Test
To better understand the child’s present metabolism, I can also order a functional exam such as an Organic Acid Test. Many children with comorbidities and neurological problems emit abnormal quantities of organic acids in their urine, which the OAT can detect.
The common cause of these higher levels may be oral antibiotic use, higher carbohydrate (beige diet), and refined sugar diet, commonly seen in children with ASD.
Also as immune deficiencies (food sensitivities), metabolic dysfunction (enzyme deficiencies), acquired infection (virus, bacterial, fungal), as well as genetic factors (slower rate of enzymes and accumulation of metabolites).
And nongenetic factors such as medicine, pesticides, additive chemicals, and others can alter the child’s metabolism to detoxify.
The test can provide an evaluation of intestinal bacterial and fungal overgrowth. It is known that higher levels of those microorganisms can cause or exacerbate behavioural conditions commonly seen in ASD.
6-Genetic Test (extract from Full DNA website - technical manager Adriana Marinho - registered nutritionist)
Many of the genes associated with ASD affect development by controlling (or regulating) the activity of other genes or proteins. There may be genetic variants that make physiological processes less efficient;
Genetic variants that create greater vulnerability to xenobiotics.
Vulnerability of enzymes or steps in physiological pathways that work less efficiently or are blocked in the presence of toxic substances, whether there is a genetic vulnerability.
The values of genetic test results are not diagnostic. They do, however, exhibit tendencies that are impacted by physiological and pathological states, medication use, and other personal factors.
I can help you decide on the appropriate panel (s) to be chosen. I will also interpret the results and prescribe your child the most appropriate nutritional protocol.
7- Stool Testing for Children
The Comprehensive Stool Analysis (CDAS) is a functional test that overviews how well your child digests foods and absorbs and assimilates the foods they eat. What is the significance of this? Studies have linked the signs and symptoms of GIT disorders to those of Autism. The severity of those symptoms is related to sensory processing disorders, which may increase anxiety response, rigid behaviour, and feeding difficulties, creating a vicious cycle. It is also proposed that there is a link between ASD symptomatology and dietary intake (typically foods that accommodate sensory sensitivity), which can affect the intestinal microbiome and potentially aggravate sensory dysfunction and behaviour. Constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence, reflux, nausea, bloating, abdominal discomfort, bad breath, and food sensitivities symptoms like mood changes and headaches are all signs of poor gut function. Those symptoms are commonly seen in ASD, and the causes of those symptoms may be related to oral dysbiosis, hypotonia, hypochloridria, food selectivity, food sensitivity, food-environment allergies, some medications, and others.
This test also demonstrates an overview of microbial flora and identifies pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and yeast.
I can help you decide on the appropriate functional exam. I will also interpret the results and prescribe your child the most appropriate nutritional protocol.
What are the payment methods?
Contact me for services and prices via email or whatsapp.
