Failure To Thrive

1173 Words3 Pages

Failure to thrive (FTT) in children and infants, results from inadequate nutrition to maintain the growth and development. In many cases, FTT is either the result of possible medical issues that the mother or child may be experiencing. It However, in the extreme form, it could become fatal and many times this is the result of a caregiver or parent. In the paper, we will look at the causes, interventions and the impact that FTT may have on families (Shelov and Altmann, 2009, p.614).
What is Failure to Thrive?
There are no dates given on the exact history of FTT and it seems that this affliction has been in existence since the beginnings of time. Scoller and Nittur (2012) claims FTT is a clinical condition, as opposed to a diagnosis and it is a label given to infants and children with inadequate growth or weight gain(1234). Growth is commonly assessed at health visits by measuring height, weight, and head circumference.
Dr. Rosalyn Carson Dewitt shows us in her 2013 article Titled “Failure to Thrive” that information is entered into a growth chart, which makes a line or curve that follows how your child grows. Standard curve lines on the chart called percentiles show where babies fall in terms of normal growth compared to other babies at specific ages. Boys seem to be more predisposed to failure to thrive than girls are. She also states all medical experts; do not agree upon the exact definition of FTT.
Failure to Thrive has three categories they include:
• Organic- caused by a medical condition
• Nonorganic-children with no known medical condition
• Mixed- both organic and non-organic
Some Causes of Failure to Thrive
• Depression and stress (mother)
• Alcohol or drug abuse (mother)
• Unsubstantial food consumption
• Food not abso...

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