Failure to thrive

Some children don’t gain weight or grow as much as they should and this can happen for a variety of reasons.

In medical terms it’s often described as failure to thrive. Reasons for your child failing to thrive may include:

- Poor appetite or poor diet.

- Low birthweight.

- Frequent childhood illnesses that have stopped her from eating or affected her digestion of food.

- A disease that is hindering her growth, such as kidney failure, malaria or TB.

- Emotional deprivation.

Feeding

Sometimes feeding techniques are responsible for a baby’s failure to thrive. If a baby doesn’t latch on properly to the breast she fails to grow and put weight on. If your baby is very underweight or doesn’t seem to be steadily putting on weight, talk to your pediatrician, who can check that your baby is receiving milk properly from you. She may suggest supplementing with formula milk  if you’re not producing much breast milk.

Babies who fail to gain weight while bottlefeeding may not be getting enough milk. Check that the nipple is the correct flow-rate for your baby’s age, and that you’re measuring and mixing his formula correctly. If your pediatrician is concerned, she may refer your child for further tests to check if an underlying condition is preventing your child from gaining weight.

The information on this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.