Growth and failure to thrive

Monitoring of growth in early life is particularly important as growth is elastic and sensitive to environmental factors, especially nutrition. Deficits are unlikely to be recovered fully in a later period and early growth patterns contribute to many diseases of adulthood. Assessment of rate of growth, rather than attained size, is possible with today's charts and accurate measurement. Growth monitoring is important for recognition of failure to thrive and it is valuable as a proxy measure for wellbeing. Many factors can contribute to failure to thrive which is best managed using a multidisciplinary approach.