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Social work intervention and failure to thrive in infants and children
R Marino1, M L Weinman, K Soudelier
1Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital, 6411 Fannin, Houston, TX, USA.
Insights
Social workers play a vital role in addressing failure to thrive (FTT) in children. This article highlights their crucial contributions to interdisciplinary treatment teams for comprehensive care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Social Work
- Child Development
Background:
- Failure to thrive (FTT) is a condition where infants and children do not grow or develop at the expected rate.
- Limited research exists on the specific contributions of social workers in managing FTT cases.
- Current healthcare emphasizes interdisciplinary team approaches for optimal patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To educate social workers on the complexities of FTT.
- To define and emphasize the essential roles social workers fulfill within FTT treatment teams.
- To illustrate how social work services enhance therapeutic and team-oriented approaches for children with FTT.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on FTT and social work interventions.
- Analysis of the integration of social workers in interdisciplinary pediatric care.
- Discussion of social work's unique skills in addressing psychosocial factors contributing to FTT.
Main Results:
- Social workers are integral to comprehensive FTT management.
- Their involvement addresses crucial psychosocial determinants of child growth and development.
- Social work services provide essential therapeutic support and facilitate team collaboration.
Conclusions:
- Social workers must actively participate in interdisciplinary teams to effectively manage FTT.
- Their expertise is critical for holistic child treatment and improved developmental trajectories.
- Integrating social work ensures a more comprehensive, therapeutic, and team-based approach to FTT.
Abstract:
Failure to thrive (FTT) is a diagnostic term used to describe infants and children who fail to grow and develop at a normal rate. There has been limited literature focused on the role social workers play in working with children who fail to thrive. Because the focus of the current health care system is on using an interdisciplinary team approach, it is crucial that social workers make a place for themselves on treatment teams and continue to use their skills to provide comprehensive treatment. This article educates social workers about FTT and addresses the roles social workers have in the treatment of children who fail to thrive and how their services provide a therapeutic and team-oriented approach.