Registered Dietitians are health professionals that are qualified to assess, diagnose and treat diet related conditions, relying on integrating nutritional knowledge, public health guidance and evidence-based decision-making. Only those professionals registered with the Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC) can use the title Dietitian. Registration details for Carine Henry can be found here.

My work as a Cambridge Paediatric Dietitian has spanned 25+ years, with a clinical background in the NHS and nutrition research with the Medical Research Council’s Nutrition Unit .  Teaching dietetic students and other health professionals about nutritional assessment and dietary treatment has always been part of my work. My specific areas of interest are to assess, identify, diagnose and treat/advise infants, children and teens with feeding and eating difficulties.

Clinical background and interests 

Working in NHS clinical practice as a Paediatric Dietitian since 1992 – 2005 based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, I integrated research work at the MRC for Clinical Nutrition Research. Assessing child growth; energy and nutrient intake; individual needs and devising effective nutritional treatment plans are tools of a Paediatric Dietitian, trade!  Some years later, and after the birth of 3 children, in a 5-year clinical audit project, I supported multiple GP practices to improve their patient-centred outcomes with cost-effective nutrition prescribing for individuals with under-nutrition.  Much of this work relied on GP education and changing Dietitians’ practice, working across Hospital and Community services in a region wide project.  In addition I have worked in various other roles:

  • Hospital-wide multi-disciplinary NutritionTeam, providing intravenous nutritional support
  • Hospital-wide projects, including the introduction of nutritional screening, integration of special diets in new catering systems
  • Combined clinical/research role with the MRC Clinical Nutrition Research in methods of assessing body composition, determining energy requirements and laboratory analysis of micro-nutrient status
  • Commissioning of a dedicated Nutrition Support Service for vulnerable children
  • Expanded Paediatric Nutrition services at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, including a Special Needs Feeding Team,  Outpatient services, for food allergy and gastrointestinal problems
  • Scoping work with schools on nutrition policy development and changing of catering providers
Current clinical  interests

The understanding of cow’s milk allergy and its optimal treatment is an area of clinical expertise in infancy.  It presents in many different ways, providing challenges for less experienced practitioners, not least because its symptoms are so similar to other common conditions in infancy.  With feeding difficulties in infancy or  food refusal in primary aged children, a detailed assessment of age-related feeding skills, experiential learning and often observation help to select the best tools/strategies to support children to (re)learn to eat well.  I am accredited with Advanced Dietetic Practice in Eating Disorders, and work to support teens with disordered eating.  Common to all areas of clinical practice, the Human Microbiome has relevance to nutritional wellbeing and is another area of interest.

Independant Practitioner in Paediatric and Teenage Nutrition

In 2002, and after the birth of my 2nd child, I established my Cambridge Paediatric Nutrition practice, allowing a more flexible work and family life.  This has meant working more directly with families rather than clinical services, with some work in schools.  I continue to freelance in other areas of Paediatric Nutrition including NHS practice, GP training, health professions workshops as well as private one-to-one appointments.  I am work as part of Cambridge Paediatric Practice, a private medical service for children with gastrointestinal concerns and 8aKP Therapeutic Consultants a group of child and adolescent psychotherapists also in Cambridge.