failure to thrive

• failure to thrive can be caused by medical, environmental, social, psychological, or nutritional factors
• failure to thrive is defined as the lack of weight gain or growth over time
• failure to thrive is not a diagnosis but rather an indicator that something may be wrong with the child's health
• environmental causes include poverty, neglect, abuse, parental substance use disorder, maternal depression, and exposure to lead
• failure to thrive is more common in children with special needs
• adequate nutrition is critical the first 2 years of life
• failure to thrive may be rooted in organic or inorganic causes, most common is inorganic
• organic causes are internal, something the child has that may require medical attention such as the inability to suck or swallow, diarrhea, vomiting, metabolic issues
• inorganic causes are external factors that may require the involvement of CPS such as neglect, abuse, poverty, lack of maternal interaction, poor feeding techniques, or parent's mental illness
• diseases like GERD, cleft palate, cystic fibrosis, chronic lung disease, and cardiac or metabolic disorders may increase the chance of FTT
• children's length, height, and head circumference may be affected by FTT
• nursing assessments:

  infants with nipple or spoon refusal

  difficulty sucking

  disinterest in feeding

  parent-child interaction during feeding

  swallowing ability
• nursing interventions:

  develop an appropriate feeding schedule

  provide feedings as prescribed

  maintain I&O record

  provide support to relieve anxiety

  do daily weight checks