An occupational therapy protocol for assessing infants and toddlers who fail to thrive

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Occupational Therapy
• Child Development

Background:

• Failure to thrive (FTT) is a common concern in pediatrics, often leading to occupational therapy referrals.
• Current assessment lacks a standardized protocol for occupational therapists evaluating FTT.
• Differentiating organic (medical) from nonorganic (environmental/interactional) FTT is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review criteria distinguishing organic from nonorganic failure to thrive.
• To describe the occupational therapist's role in FTT evaluations.
• To present a structured occupational therapy protocol for FTT assessment.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of FTT diagnostic criteria.
• Description of occupational therapy's contribution to multidisciplinary FTT assessments.
• Development and presentation of a novel occupational therapy assessment protocol.

Main Results:

• Key indicators for differentiating organic and nonorganic FTT are reviewed.
• The occupational therapist's unique contributions, particularly in assessing feeding and interaction, are highlighted.
• A comprehensive protocol is proposed to guide therapists in thorough FTT evaluations.

Conclusions:

• A standardized occupational therapy protocol can enhance the assessment of children with failure to thrive.
• Emphasis on feeding dynamics and caretaker-child interaction is vital for occupational therapists.
• This protocol aims to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide targeted interventions for FTT.