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Infants and children who fail to thrive: implications for occupational therapy practice

B B Wavrek1

  • 1Instructor, Occupational Therapy Division, School of Allied Medical Professions, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

Occupational Therapy in Health Care
|August 13, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Failure to thrive, a disorder of impaired growth, stems from medical issues or environmental factors. Occupational therapists play a key role in diagnosing and treating both organic and nonorganic failure to thrive.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Failure to thrive (FTT) is a complex pediatric condition marked by impaired growth and potential developmental delay.
  • The causes of FTT are multifactorial, encompassing organic (medical/constitutional) and nonorganic (psychosocial) origins.
  • Disturbances in parent-child interactions and infant temperament are linked to nonorganic FTT.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define failure to thrive and its etiological categories.
  • To highlight the role of occupational therapy in managing FTT.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review on the etiology and characteristics of FTT.
  • Analysis of the interdisciplinary team's approach to FTT diagnosis and treatment.

Main Results:

  • FTT presents with impaired growth and developmental delays.
  • Etiologies are categorized as organic (medical) or nonorganic (psychosocial).
  • Psychosocial factors like parent-child interaction issues contribute to nonorganic FTT.

Conclusions:

  • Occupational therapists are integral members of the medical team for FTT.
  • Therapists contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of both organic and nonorganic FTT.
  • A comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach is essential for managing FTT.

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