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Has recognition of failure to thrive changed?
1School of Social Sciences, University of Bath, UK.
Child: Care, Health and Development
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Recognition of failure to thrive in children has improved, especially for those below the 3rd centile. However, broader definitions reveal significant under-recognition by health professionals, impacting child health surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Health Surveillance
Background:
- Studies on failure to thrive (FTT) use varied definitions, hindering replication.
- Previous research in southern England highlighted under-recognition of FTT by health professionals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess changes in the recognition of failure to thrive (FTT) in children.
- To evaluate the impact of different FTT definitions on detection rates.
Main Methods:
- Replication study in southern England, comparing current data with a previous study from 5 years prior.
- Analysis of recognition rates for children below the 3rd centile and those with growth deviations across major centile lines over 3 months.
Main Results:
- Improved recognition of children below the 3rd centile: previously 1 in 3, now 1 in 5 unrecognized.
- Broader FTT definition (growth deviation over 3 months) shows 50% of affected children remain unrecognized.
Conclusions:
- While recognition of severe FTT has improved, broader case definitions reveal persistent under-detection.
- Current child health surveillance systems, including parent-held records, may require enhancement to improve FTT recognition.