Specialising in:

✔ Infant and Child Nutrition

✔ Food intolerances

✔ Tube-feeding

✔ Specialist feeds & formulas

✔ Gut health - inflammatory bowel disease, Irritable Bowel disease, Coeliac disease

✔ Weight concerns (traditional approach)

✔ Selective eating

✔ Neurodivergence (eg ASD, ADHD)

✔ Women’s Health and Breastfeeding

✔ Adult medical conditions: Diabetes, Heart health, Cancer, Older adults

✔ Rehabilitation & ACC under the Training For Independence Programme, Sensitive Claims Service and Pain Management Services

Available via:

• In-person: Papakura, South Auckland clinic (Thursday mornings, by appointment)

• Online / Telehealth (NZ wide)

Background:

My name is Sarika Coetzee and I am a NZ Registered, South African-trained Dietitian with over 20 years of experience working in South Africa, England, and New Zealand. I have worked across New Zealand, having worked for Te Whatu Ora in Whanganui, Manukau, Auckland - Central and West.  

My other part-time role is at Waitakere Hospital, where I routinely see children with disabilities/neurological conditions, faltering growth, tube-feeding, tube-weaning, weight management, nutrition deficiencies, food intolerances/allergies, children on specialised formulas and selective eating, across an array of different ethnicities.

With 2 young children of my own, I understand the challenges faced with prioritising your own health needs in a busy household and translating and navigating nutrition jargon into practice as a caregiver. Outside work, I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and finding stimulating activities to experience with my whanau, exploring what New Zealand has to offer.

Sarika’s approach:

I strive to provide whanau-centred, non -judgmental, friendly, and practical advice. I follow a neuro-affirming and trauma-informed approach, recognising neurological changes in children and adults and working to get the best outcome for you and your whanau.

Specialities and additional training:

My speciality is within the Paediatrics area – working in hospitals, homes, early education settings and mainstream and special schools.  I also have experience in Adult lifestyle conditions (Diabetes, Heart Disease), Cancer, Inflammatory Bowel disease, and nutrition in the elderly.  I have experience in providing nutrition training/talks to families, health professionals, and staff in education settings. Along with my Dietetics Degree, I have completed following training:

• Primary care Diabetes diploma,

• Masters Module in Inherited Metabolic Diseases, and c

• Certificate in the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Feeding approach for selective eaters

• Certificate in Get Permission for Anxious Eaters program

• Inclusive approaches to support neurodivergent children with feeding challenges.