Failure to Thrive (Child)
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2017
Abstract
Childhood failure to thrive (FTT) or weight faltering are terms used to define inadequate growth or the inability to sustain growth, usually related to inadequate nutrition (Cole & Lanham, 2011; Shields, Wacogne, & Wright, 2012). Currently there is no generally accepted definition of FTT. The common factor is poor growth and weight gain, which led to the recent use of the term weight faltering. The diagnosis of FTT requires a detailed history, as well as a psychosocial and environmental assessment, and a thorough physical examination. The anthropometric measures for diagnosing FTT are normally used by mapping a child's growth on a standardized growth chart over more than one physician visit (Olsen et al., 2007). To identify children in jeopardy of developing FTT, it is recommended that more than one anthropometric standard be used, such as body mass index for age less than the fifth percentile, length for age less than the fifth percentile, and weight deceleration crossing two major percentile lines (deOnis, Garza, Onyango, & Borghi, 2007; “Failure to Thrive,” 2003; Olsen et al., 2007).
ISBN
9780826133052
Recommended Citation
Krowchuk, H. V., & Cook, L. L. (2017). Failure to thrive (child). In J. Fitzpatrick (Ed.), Encyclopedia of nursing research (4th ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Retrieved from https://sacredheart.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/spennurres/failure_to_thrive_child/0?institutionId=4247
Publication
Encyclopedia of nursing research
Edition
4th ed.
Publisher
Springer Publishing Company
Comments
Encyclopedia entry.