What Do You Know About Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome In Babies

by Gerald Fitzgerald

Failure To Thrive is a hold-up in normal physical development which could be the precursor to delays in the developmental process and maturation.

Failure To Thrive is a diagnosis given to babies who are consistently less than the normal weight for their age or who do not gain weight. There may be many causes. Many reasons for this involve socio-environmental elements which work together to keep the baby from getting the nutrition the baby needs. There are times when medical issues prevent a baby from growing normally. Another significant cause is the infant's own sensitivities.

If There Are Environmental And Social Based Problems For The Condition

Many socio-environmental elements can be a part of Failure To Thrive. Parental abuse or neglect, parental emotional health difficulties, and chaotic family conditions in which routine, nutritious meals are not provided, may all depress a child's appetite and intake of food. The amount of money a family makes available for food and the nutritional value of the food they provide also affects growth. Also, inadequate intake of food may be a sign of inadequate parenting and not enough stimulation from the environment.

When the situation is not based in medical problems, this is called Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome. In the past, Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome was thought to be caused by abusive parenting. But there are recent articles which have indicated a growing recognition that poor parenting may not be a common root of the problem.

If The Roots Of The Issue Are Medical Problems

Sometimes Failure To Thrive Syndrome is brought on by a medical difficulty in the baby. This is occasionally called Organic Failure to Thrive. The difficulty can be as minor as difficulty drinking, chewing, or swallowing (as with a cleft lip or palate). Medical problems, such as gastroesophageal reflux, narrowing of the esophagus, or intestinal malabsorption, may also affect a child's ability to obtain nutrition from food. Infection, tumor, metabolic or hormonal disorders (such as diabetes or cystic fibrosis), heart diseases, kidney disease, genetic disorders, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are other physical reasons for Failure To Thrive.

When The Roots Are Based In Responses To Sensitivities

Often an infant's or a baby's Non Organic Failure To Thrive is brought on by the infant's body reacting to normal environmental factors as if those normal things were toxic. This is a sensitivity to or intolerance of some environmental factors which the child's body thinks are toxic.

This response to this "toxic attack" could include shutting down the baby's normal developmental process as a temporary protective measure until the "attack" goes away. But, because these environmental factors are not toxic to others, the family and the medical professionals do not know to eliminate these "toxic" things from the baby's environment. In this case this temporary protective defensive reaction continues indefinitely. This means that the baby's own defenses interrupts the baby's normal development indefinitely, because of the child's sensitivities.

Diagnosis For The Problems Based In Medical Problems And Environmental And Social Roots

Doctors indicate that a child has Failure To Thrive when the baby's weight or rate of growth is well below what it should be when compared with past measurements or standard height-weight charts. If the rate of growth is adequate, the baby may be small for his or her age but still growing appropriately.

To determine why a baby may be failing to thrive normally, doctors ask parents specific questions about feeding, bowel habits, social, emotional, and financial stability of the family, which might affect the baby's access to food, and illnesses that the baby has had or that run in the family. The medical practitioner examines the baby, looking for signals which may explain the baby's growth delay. The medical practitioner makes decisions about blood and urine tests and x-rays based on this initial evaluation. More extensive testing is performed only if the doctor believes there is an underlying disease.

Determining The Child's Sensitivities

There are some available diets ( for instance: GFCF and Feingold diets) which attempt to deal with these sensitivity issues. These diets work well for those children who are intolerant of the things which are specifically restricted by these programs. But, for the majority of Non Organic Failure To Thrive children whose sensitivities are affecting their growth and development, these diets are not quite right and not specifically designed for them.

It is best to have a specialist, who knows how to perform this specific test for sensitivity, work with your Non Organic Failure To Thrive child to determine your child's precise list of sensitivities. Those who specialize in this kind of testing can include chiropractors, some nutritionists, and other wellness practitioners trained for this type of evaluation.

Treatment and Prognosis For The Problems Based In Medical Problems And Environmental And Social Roots

The medical disorders and socio-environmental issues approach assumes there is something wrong with the baby's body or the child's social environment. These treatments are focused on a problem in the baby's nutritional processing or nutritional access.

Treatment depends on the root of the problem. If a medical disorder is found, specific treatment is given. Otherwise, treatment depends on how far below normal the baby's weight is. Mild to moderate Failure To Thrive is treated with nutritious high-calorie feedings provided on a regular schedule. Parents might be counseled about family interactions that are dangerous for the child and about financial and social resources available for their family. More severe Failure To Thrive Syndrome is treated in the hospital where social workers, nutritionists, psychiatrists, feeding specialists, and other specialists team together to determine the most likely causes of the child's Failure To Thrive and the best program to recovery.

Treatment For When The Problems Based Of The Failure To Thrive Syndrome Are In Sensitivities

The interventions for the sensitivities approach is to determine which environmental factors the baby is reacting to and eliminates those things from the baby's environment. When the baby is no longer reacting to those things in the environment, the normal process of development re-engages and growth and development can proceed normally. With this intervention, nourishment is absorbed appropriately and development and growth gets back on track. There are specialists in Non Organic Failure To Thrive syndrome who can determine your child's sensitivities and coach you in getting your child back on track.

Summary

The socio-environmental approach for Non Organic Failure To Thrive children assumes that something is wrong in the baby's social environment in such a way that nourishment is not available or is not accepted by the baby.

The medical disorders approach for Organic Failure To Thrive infants and children assumes that nourishment is not being processed and absorbed by the baby because of some medical disorder.

The sensitivities approach for Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome assumes that the baby is having defensive responses to environmental factors and these defensive responses are shutting down the normal growth and developmental process.

If you want to read more about Failure To Thrive or you would like to talk with other parents about Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome, you will enjoy our free, private Non Organic Failure To Thrive Social Network.

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