Children most at risk for failure to thrive (FTT), also known as growth faltering, are primarily infants and children under two years old who experience inadequate caloric intake, often due to a combination of medical and psychosocial factors.
[37] The most common underlying etiology for FTT is inorganic and results from inadequate caloric intake. This is often multifactorial, making it essential to partner with families and offer education about the nutritional needs and common feeding behavior challenges their child may experience at different ages.
Up to 80% of all children with FTT have Non-organic type FTT. Non-organic FTT most commonly occurs when there is inadequate food intake or there is a lack of environmental stimuli.
Red flags: significant centile drops (e.g. ≥2 centile spaces) or weight below 2nd centile may indicate faltering growth. Common cause: inadequate dietary intake (e.g. neglect, fussy eating, poor diet understanding).
Doctors also might recommend:
In case of environmental factors and poor nutrition, the child can be treated at home with nutritious high-calorie feeding. More severe cases may require tube feeding; and a child with extreme failure to thrive may need to be hospitalized.
Infants or children who fail to thrive have a height, weight and head circumference that do not match standard growth charts. The person's weight falls lower than the third percentile (as outlined in standard growth charts) or 20 percent below the ideal weight for their height.
Symptoms may include:
The 7 key danger signs for newborns, often highlighted by organizations like the WHO, are not feeding well, convulsions, fast breathing, severe chest indrawing, lethargy/unconsciousness (movement only when stimulated), high or low temperature, and jaundice (yellow skin/soles) or signs of local infection like an infected umbilical stump, requiring immediate medical attention.
Fortunately, AFTT is frequently reversible with medical intervention, which may prevent further deterioration, alleviate symptoms, and restore a person to health. However, if the patient does not improve, AFTT can result in the need to develop an end-of-life plan.
Protein is essential for growth and development, and can help children gain weight in a healthy way. Foods high in protein include eggs, chicken, fish, beans, lentils, nuts, and dairy products. You can also try adding protein powder to their meals and snacks.
Failure to thrive or growth faltering are terms you might hear to describe growth that's slower than expected in your child. This is common and treatable. Your child may need to take in more calories to get back on track. Or they might need treatment for an underlying condition.
A placenta that doesn't function properly to nourish the developing baby is the most frequent cause of FGR. Poor placenta function (also called placental insufficiency) is more common in twin or other multiple pregnancies. It can lead to one or more babies with FGR during pregnancy and a low birthweight.
The following personal and medical problems may raise the risk of adult FTT:
Types of risk and harm against children and young people are:
In severe cases, neglect or abuse may lead to FTT if food is kept from a baby on purpose. FTT can be prevented by seeking early help with a child's nutritional needs.
The newborn 5-5-5 rule is a postpartum guideline for new mothers to focus on healing and bonding in the first 15 days home, dividing rest into 5 days in bed, followed by 5 days on the bed, and then 5 days near the bed, encouraging minimal chores, visitors, and activity to prioritize recovery from childbirth and establishing the new family unit, drawing on traditional postpartum rest practices.
What are high-risk infants? Doctors refer to babies who are born prematurely or who are sick when they are born as high-risk infants. This means they have a high risk of short and long-term health and developmental challenges.
Severe failure to thrive can negatively impact a child's well-being including their cognitive development and immune function.
Poor feeding, a lack of interest in feeding or a problem receiving the proper amount of nutrition, is a nonspecific symptom seen in newborn and young infants that can result from many conditions, including infection, metabolic disorders, genetic disorders, structural abnormalities, and neurological disorders.
How do you treat failure to thrive in infants? Treatment focuses on the cause. It usually involves nutritional support (more calories, special diets), treating any medical conditions found, and sometimes feeding therapy or family support.
In general, kids who fail to thrive are not getting enough calories to grow and gain weight as expected. The good news is that FTT for most babies is only temporary.
Failure to thrive FAQs
A: Yes, in severe cases, when treatment is not received, failure to thrive can be fatal.
Growth faltering, previously known as failure to thrive, is a broad term used to describe children who fall below their anticipated growth trajectory due to malnutrition. Use of the term growth faltering is increasing as a more descriptive and less distressing diagnosis.