Dietician

In what way was the dietician not qualified to help?

If it were me, I'd go back to the GP and tell them and ask for a referal to someone different or more highly qualified.

Maybe something like slimming world would help, I don't know, I've never been, but I do know some people find it good.

I guess it all depends on why she's overweight and by how much, does she need small adjustments or a major lifestyle change?

As soon as she mentioned her autism and ADHD to the dietician, she responded that this wasnt something she could deal with. All my daughter got from her was an email attachment with an article about feeding children with ADHD. Shes 28!

She is very overweight and needs to make some big changes. I fail to see why the dietician couldnt help her with some diet planning. Ive suggested to my daughter that she goes back to the GP and also places a complaint about it. Surely any reputable dietician could help someone create some sort of meal plan to help them lose weight.

In terms of her neurodivergencies, the problem is she gets easily overwhelmed - she needs a set plan that she can work from. She also has some issues with textures and dietary changes. She has to know in advance what she will be eating, or she will just immediately choose her safe foods, most of which are not very healthy sadly.

I guess the two of us will have to work it out together and hope we get it right. She can be hard to pin down to deal with these things - she works full time and is hyper protective of her 'down time'.

As soon as she mentioned her autism and ADHD to the dietician, she responded that this wasnt something she could deal with. All my daughter got from her was an email attachment with an article about feeding children with ADHD. Shes 28!

She is very overweight and needs to make some big changes. I fail to see why the dietician couldnt help her with some diet planning. Ive suggested to my daughter that she goes back to the GP and also places a complaint about it. Surely any reputable dietician could help someone create some sort of meal plan to help them lose weight.

In terms of her neurodivergencies, the problem is she gets easily overwhelmed - she needs a set plan that she can work from. She also has some issues with textures and dietary changes. She has to know in advance what she will be eating, or she will just immediately choose her safe foods, most of which are not very healthy sadly.

I guess the two of us will have to work it out together and hope we get it right. She can be hard to pin down to deal with these things - she works full time and is hyper protective of her 'down time'.

I think it’s outrageous that she flatly refused to treat her because she is autistic. She should definitely contact her gp and explain what has happened - and ask that he refer her to a dietitian who can help her. I’m so sorry that your daughter has experienced this. 

It is shocking but sadly not surprising. Well at least they admitted their inability to help and are not causing more harm. Bad advice about diet and misunderstanding of neurodiversity related issues around food can really cause damage. I know from first hand experience (my Arfid type issues around food and need for routine were interpreted as anorexia nervosa and I received extremely bad advice and I am still dealing with the damage caused by years of trying to fix a problem I didn’t have).

Yep, in her case its cheese on cheese on pasta!

But she really wants to help herself, so we will try and get something together ourselves to help her make a start and she is going to make another GP apt.

Yes - shes definately been fobbed off.

Weve made a plan to sit down together on Monday to work out 4 weeks of meals, with accompanying shopping lists. Thats the sort of thing I hoped the dietician would do.

Anyway, we cant do worse than nothing ;-) And hopefully it will give a sense of 'where to start' until she can get back to GP

I know - I was so cross on her behalf!

Shes doing her best to help herself, but not getting the support she needs 

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not, what your daughter experienced is all too common for people with ASC, mental health problems etc, it feels really punishing, but I think it's laziness on the part of professionals. I think it's shocking that the only help she got was a totally inapropriate diet sheet.

Personally I'd kick up a fuss, contact my MP, local news, national newspapers, write to the health trust, find out if this person has a professional body who can be complained too. Maybe contact Victora Derbyshire on Newsnight as this is exactly the sort of thing they and she cover, it is a national disgrace and people should be made aware of it. You could also write to health secretary Wes Streating at the houses of parliament.

That just seems like they didn't want to help.

It should be possible to make a diet plan. If there are certain foods which are an issue then they could suggest some alternatives. It might take a few iterations, which is probably why they couldn't be bothered.

I would think you are entitled to a little more help than an email. I'd explain this to the GP and ask to see someone else.

LinsT said:

All my daughter got from her was an email attachment with an article about feeding children with ADHD.

WTH that’s actually insane.

I don’t know what her safe foods are, but portion controlling and calorie counting could potentially mean that she would still enjoy the foods she likes, just in a safer way.

I mean, unless she’s anything like me and her safest food is cheese on cheese on cheese, then maybe a little variation would be better️