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What is failure to thrive?.
A
When you visit the clinic to
have your baby weighed the health visitor plots your child progress by measuring
height, weight and head circumference on a number of charts called percentile
charts or centile charts. The health visitor does this to make sure your baby
is developing well according to the average standards as set on the percentile
charts. If your child does not meet these expected standards repeatedly you may
hear the term failure to thrive.
Failure to thrive is a concern as the first few years of life
are key periods for brain and physical development. If Children who are failing
to thrive are not picked up it could then have serious effects on there future
health. Children who are failure to thrive can not for some reason can not take
in the calories needed or use the calories to grow as well as expected.
Causes of failure to thrive can be:
- A chronic illness or
medical problem such as gastro oesophageal reflux disease, chronic diarrhoea,
chronic liver disease, celiac disease, cleft lip and palate, endocrine, and
respiratory disorders
- Sometimes an intolerance
of milk protein.
- If a medical reason for
failure to thrive can not be found, social factors such as poverty and parents
un-intentionally or intentionally limiting food intake, may well be explored.
health visitor
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