Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Biobehavioral characteristics of infants with failure to thrive

D K Steward1, D K Moser, N A Ryan-Wenger

  • 1College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. steward.20@osu.edu

Journal of Pediatric Nursing
|June 9, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Infants with failure to thrive (FTT) show more negative behaviors and low heart rate variability, suggesting a physiological basis for their difficulties. Further research is needed to understand this link in infant growth and development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Failure to thrive (FTT) is a growth failure syndrome in infants.
  • Infant behavior is thought to significantly contribute to infant-mother interaction issues in FTT.
  • Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity may underlie behavioral characteristics in FTT infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between behavioral responsiveness, ANS activity (heart rate variability), and nutritional status in FTT infants.
  • To compare these factors in infants with FTT and healthy growing infants.

Main Methods:

  • Matched case-control study design.
  • Comparison of 14 pairs of infants with FTT and healthy controls.
  • Assessment of behavioral responsiveness and heart rate variability (HRV) as a marker of ANS activity.

Main Results:

  • Infants with FTT displayed significantly more negative behaviors compared to controls.
  • Infants with FTT exhibited lower heart rate variability, indicating reduced ANS activity.
  • A potential physiological basis for the observed behaviors in FTT infants was identified.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests a physiological component, specifically related to autonomic nervous system function, contributing to the behavioral challenges in infants with failure to thrive.
  • Further prospective research is warranted to elucidate the complex interplay between physiology, behavior, and growth in FTT.

More Related Videos

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

Non-Nutritive Suck Parameters Measurements Using a Custom Pressure Transducer System06:19

Non-Nutritive Suck Parameters Measurements Using a Custom Pressure Transducer System

Published on: April 19, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Attachment01:20

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...