Failure to Thrive in Infants

January 17, 2021

4 min read

Failure to Thrive (FTT) is an irregular weight gain pattern documented by insufficient weight gain and the lack of adequate usable nutrition over time. The weight gain velocity decrease leads to the child falling steadily off the growth charts for the expected weight curve.

Types of Failure to Thrive

There are two types of FTT. These are organic and non-organic.

1.
Organic: Organic FTT might be caused by medical issues like vomiting or diarrhea. If you have a child with organic FTT, it might be they're not able to take in the nutrients from formula or food.
2.
Non-Organic: In some cases, there aren't any medical causes for Failure to Thrive, in which case that is referred to as non-organic FTT. Babies with non-organic FTT typically start gaining weight when there are changes made in how they're cared for, fed, and nurtured.

More than 80% of kids with growth failure don't have any evident organic (growth-inhibiting) disorder. The growth failure occurs due to environmental neglect (i.e. stimulus deprivation, lack of food, or both).

Some fall into a mixed FTT classification where there's an overlap in organic and nonorganic causes; kids with an organic disorder also experience dysfunctional parental interactions or disturbing environments. Likewise, those with serious undernutrition due to nonorganic FTT could develop organic medical issues.

Symptoms of Failure to Thrive in Infants

Typically, an impacted infant's weight falls on standard growth charts below the 3rd percentile. A growth rate change, instead of certain numbers, is also an indicator. For instance, if your child has seen ideal growth but then their growth stops, they might have Failure to Thrive.

Your child might have an unsteady growth rate. Some kids who have FTT show symptoms like:

Delays in achieving certain developmental milestones like crawling, rolling over and talking
Lack of weight gain
Fatigue
Lack of emotions like laughing, smiling or making eye contact
Learning disabilities
Delayed puberty in teenagers
Delayed motor development
Irritability

Causes Failure to Thrive

Different factors could cause FTT, including:

1. Caregiver Not Providing Enough Calories

In some cases, a parent or caregiver mixes or measures formula incorrectly; therefore the infant isn't getting sufficient calories. Issues with breastfeeding or beginning solids could also cause FTT.

2. The Child Doesn't Eat Enough

Some kids have difficulties consuming enough food. This could be because of:

Being an extremely picky eater
A developmental delay
A condition like autism where children don't like eating foods with certain tastes or textures
A health condition affecting swallowing (i.e. cleft palate or cerebral palsy)

3. Digestive System Problems

Digestive system issues could keep a child from gaining weight. Certain conditions could make it more difficult for your child to absorb enough calories and nutrients to gain weight. These conditions might include:

Chronic diarrhea
Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
Celiac disease
Chronic liver disease
Cystic fibrosis

4. Food Intolerance

This is where the body is sensitive to certain foods. For instance, milk protein intolerance would mean your body can't absorb foods like cheese or yogurt and this could cause Failure to Thrive.

5. Ongoing Medical Conditions

Children with conditions that involve the lungs, heart, or endocrine system may require more calories than other children. It can be difficult for some kids to eat enough.

6. Infections

The body could use up many calories while it's fighting off an infection. And children who aren't feeling well may eat less than normal.

7. Metabolic Disorders

These are medical conditions that make it difficult for your body to use food properly like:

Breaking it down
Processing it
Taking energy from it

Metabolic disorders could also cause a child to vomit or eat poorly.

In some cases, there's a mix of things that cause FTT. For example, if an infant has severe GERD and doesn't eat, it can cause stressful feeding times. They then become frustrated and upset and the parent may not be able to get the infant to eat enough.

Treatment of Failure to Thrive in Infants

The treatment your child receives will depend on their age, general health, and symptoms. It will also depend on the severity of the condition as well as the cause. Your child might have to see more than one healthcare professional, such as:

Doctor
Nutritionist/Registered Dietician
Social worker
Geneticist
Physical therapist
Pediatric Occupational Therapist

The healthcare professionals will work together and with the family to find the cause of Failure to Thrive and help your child get the nutrition they need.

You might also be able to find different foundations and societies, like Claire's Place Foundation for help.

Latest Insights on Failure to Thrive in Infants

According to new insight data, the definition of faltering growth or Failure to Thrive should take into account both the more complicated overall nutrition status and the evident anthropometric deterioration, which could have the full possibility of restoring and guaranteeing good health and/or wide-ranging negative health effects.

Some of the latest insights of a case presentation show FTT is an overlooked KMT2B-related dystonia manifestation. During an irregular neurologic examination, a search for certain underlying genetic causes should be evaluated. This case series highlights an unusual possibly treatable cause of FTT, reinforces how essential precise molecular diagnosis is for patients with FTT, and as well as an irregular neurologic examination. It also shows the importance of family member screening.

Searching for Tips on Managing Failure to Thrive in Infants?

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