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Failure To Thrive Essay

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Failure to thrive is commonly seen by primary care physicians. It is important for a quick diagnosis to avoid malnutrition and developmental delays. Failure to thrive has been defined as “failure of expected growth, usually weight, and well-being” and it is usually in early childhood years (Deborah K. Steward, 2003). Does this definition make it a problem of growth alone, or something more? There are many factors that play into Failure to Thrive such as genes, internal problems, infections, problems during pregnancy and poverty. There isn’t one single thing that causes it. One thing everyone must remember is that a child with failure to thrive, is not ‘sick’, they’re unable to get the required nutrients to avoid being underweight or malnourished. When a child is malnourished and has symptoms of failure to thrive, they should have some of …show more content…

Hospitalization may occur, but this is the most uncommon of treatments. Most children with failure to thrive are treated outside of a hospital. It often helps if the parent eats with the child to model good eating habits. It is important to keep a consistent routine, use the foods a child likes, keep snacks scheduled and follow doctor’s orders. The child is also usually placed on a high calorie diet. Children diagnosed with failure to thrive will need 150% of their recommended calorie intake based on their expected weight, not their current weight. A child’s energy need is almost triple of what an adults is (Krugman, 2003). A high calorie diet can become tricky for infants, but their formula is usually concentrated or rice can be added to pureed foods. There are two common things with failure to thrive that children need, a high calorie diet for catch-up growth and a close follow up to make sure the diet changes are working effectively. This is important to ensure that the child is regaining typical

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