The concern about a baby’s growth and development is a common thing with parents worldwide. Therefore babies failing to thrive can give the parents sleepless nights. As a matter of fact, a baby’s height and weight is closely checked right from his or her time of birth. Often the parents obtain growth charts from the doctors to monitor the growth of the children.
Almost every baby in this world is unique in its growth pattern and therefore the increase in weight and height varies as per the individual baby, his/her nutrition level and the genetic pattern which he/she might be having. It is quite common to see that some children grow less than others.
Their weight is also on the lower side. This is commonly called 'failure to thrive'. Some such children appear to be lazy and this might be one of the major reasons behind the babies failing to thrive. Apart from that they might also appear to be paler then their counterparts and lesser keen to have food. As a consequence naturally then they lack in weight as well as height.
Causes for Babies Failing To Thrive
There can be a number of reasons behind its occurrence. In countries like the UK , this is seen as a consequence of inadequate feeding. In some cases, hostile home environments and mental unhappiness can take its toll on the child’s development. This fact is especially true for older children.
The breast milk of the mother is considered the best food for the infant. This is what makes the baby grow. Some mothers can not do this in the right manner and that affects the baby’s growth. The babies may also suffer from a number of dietary disorders. Some of them just might fail to absorb the goodness of the food into their bodies. This may be due to parasitic infections, liver problems and milk intolerance. Any of these factors or a combination of all these factors might cause a baby not to thrive.
A number of babies failing to thrive can also suffer from intestinal and liver related ailments. This happens when the babies can not digest gluten, a wheat based protein. Sometimes inadequate growth may also be linked to genetic factors. A child who is born underweight may face difficulty in later stages to gain normal weight. A mother who is addicted to smoking, alcohol or suffers from high blood pressure can give birth to an underweight child.
How Can the Failure of Babies to Thrive Be Recognized ?
It is usual for babies to shed some weight occasionally. But in case a child has not gained weight for a period of 3 successive months, the physicians become alert. Usually, babies failing to thrive can be detected by employing standard growth charts. This is what the doctors prescribe. If a baby does not meet the height and weight requirements for his or her age, he or she may be checked by a doctor.
Treatments
To treat babies failing to thrive, the accumulative efforts of the parents and the doctors are necessary. The underdeveloped child may need the care of a nutritionist in some cases. A nutritionist can determine the dietary deficit of the child’s food regime. If the child has any problem in swallowing, appropriate care needs to be taken. If the child has serious digestive problems, then the advice and care of a gastroenterologist and a neurologist may come in handy.
Often formula fed babies fail to thrive as they are not fed in the right proportion or the person who is preparing the baby diet does not follow the manufacturer’s direction accurately. If you ar4e formula feeding your baby and he/she is failing to thrive then make sure that you are feeding him/her in the right quantity.
If any anomaly in the child’s home atmosphere is hindering his or her growth, the suggestions of a counselor or psychologist may be useful. If the child has serious problems in food intake, tube feeding is prescribed by the doctors. It is used to provide liquid food to the stomach. In extreme cases of malnourishment, hospitalization becomes the only option. The duration of the treatment depends on the severity of the cases. Sometimes the doctor monitoring such a child may arrange for a detailed blood test as well as a calorie count.
