Unique Original Articles » An Introduction to Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome For A Baby

Failure To Thrive is a suspension in normal physical development that could lead to interruptions in the normal developmental process and maturation.



Failure To Thrive is a diagnosis given to babies who are consistently less than the normal weight for their age or who do not gain weight. There could be many causes. Many reasons for this involve socio-environmental factors that work together to keep the infant from having access to the nutrition the infant needs. Often, medical issues prevent a infant from developing normally. Another important cause is the baby's own intolerances and sensitivities.



If There Are Social And Environmental Based Problems For The Condition



Many socio-environmental factors can be responsible for Failure To Thrive. Parental abuse or neglect, parental emotional health issues, and disordered family conditions in which routine, nutritious meals are not provided, may all interfere with a child's appetite and intake of food. The amount of money a family has available for food and the nutritional value of the food they provide also affects growth. Also, inadequate intake of food may be a sign of inadequate parenting and not enough environmental stimulation.



When the situation is not based in medical difficulties, this is called Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome. In the recent past, Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome was thought to be caused by abusive parenting. But there are recent studies which have shown a growing belief that poor parenting may not be a common basis of the condition.



If The Causes Of The Condition Are Medical Difficulties



Sometimes Failure To Thrive Syndrome is caused by a medical difficulty in the infant. This is often called Organic Failure to Thrive. The difficulty can be as simple as difficulty drinking, chewing, or swallowing (as a child might have with a cleft lip or cleft palate). Medical issues, such as acid reflux, esophagus narrowing, or poor intestinal absorption, may also affect a child's ability to retain, absorb, or process food. And, other medical problems such as infection, tumor, metabolic or hormonal disorders (such as diabetes or cystic fibrosis), cardiac problems, kidney disease, genetic disorders, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are other medical reasons for Failure To Thrive.



When The Causes Are Based In Responses To Intolerances



Often an infant's or a baby's Non Organic Failure To Thrive is caused by the baby's defenses responding to normal things in the environment as if those normal things were toxic. This is a sensitivity to some things in the environment which the child's body thinks are toxic.



This response to this "toxic attack" could involve shutting down the infant's normal developmental process as a temporary protective tactic until the "toxic attack" stops. And, because these things in the environment are not toxic to others, the family and the medical professionals do not know to eliminate these "toxic" factors from the infant's environment. In this case this short-term protective defensive response continues indefinitely. This means that the infant's own defenses blocks the infant's normal development on an ongoing basis, because of the child's intolerances and sensitivities.



Diagnosis For The Problems Based In Medical Difficulties And Social And Environmental Causes



Doctors indicate that a child has Failure To Thrive when the infant's weight or physical development is well below what it should be when compared with former measurements or standard age-height-weight charts. If the physical development is adequate, the infant may be small for his or her age but still developing normally.



To determine why a infant may be failing to develop , medical practitioners ask parents specific questions about feeding, bowel habits, social, emotional, and financial stability of the family, which might affect the infant's access to food, and illnesses that the infant has had or that run in the family. The doctor examines the infant, looking for signals that may explain the infant's growth delay. The doctor makes decisions about blood and urine tests and x-rays based on this initial evaluation. Additional testing is performed only if the doctor believes there is an underlying medical condition.



Determining The Child's Intolerances



There are some available diets ( for instance: Gluten Free and Feingold diets) which attempt to address these intolerance issues. These diets work well for those children who are intolerant of the things which are specifically restricted by these programs. But, for the majority of Non Orhanic Failure To Thrive children whose intolerances and sensitivities are affecting their growth and development, these diets are inappropriate and not specifically designed for them.



It is best to have a specialist, who knows how to perform this specific test for intolerance, work with your Non Organic Failure To Thrive child to determine your child's precise list of intolerances and sensitivities. Those who specialize in this kind of testing can include chiropractors, some nutritionists, and other wellness practitioners trained for this specific type of evaluation.



Treatment and Prognosis For The Problems Based In Medical Difficulties And Social And Environmental Causes



The medical disorders and socio-environmental roots approach assumes there is something wrong with the infant's body or the child's social environment. These treatments are focused on a problem in the infant's nutritional processing or nutritional access.



Treatment intervention depends on the cause of the problem. If a medical disorder is found, specific interventions are performed. Otherwise, treatment depends on how far below normal the infant's weight is. Mild to moderate Failure To Thrive is treated with high-calorie nutritious feedings provided on a regular schedule. Parents might be counseled about family interactions that are dangerous for the child and about financial and social resources available to them. Severe Failure To Thrive Syndrome is treated in the hospital where social workers, nutritionists, psychiatrists, feeding specialists, and other specialists work together to determine the most likely causes of the child's Failure To Thrive and the best program to recovery.



Treatment For When The Problems Based Of The Failure To Thrive Syndrome Are In Intolerances



The interventions for the intolerances and sensitivities approach is to determine which things in the environment the infant is responding to and eliminates those factors from the infant's environment. When the infant is no longer reacting to those, the normal process of development re-engages and development can proceed normally. With this intervention, nourishment is absorbed and development starts to catch up. There are specialists in Non Organic Failure To Thrive syndrome who can determine your child's intolerances and sensitivities and coach you in getting your child back on track.



Summary



The socio-environmental approach for Non Organic Failure To Thrive children assumes that something is wrong in the infant's social environment in such a way that nourishment is not available or is not accepted by the infant.



The medical disorders approach for Organic Failure To Thrive infants and children assumes that nourishment is not being processed and absorbed by the infant because of some medical disorder.



The intolerances and sensitivities approach for Non Organic Failure To Thrive for a baby assumes that the infant is having defensive responses to environmental factors and these defensive responses are shutting down the normal development and growth process.
If you want more information about Failure To Thrive or you would like to talk with other parents about Non Organic Failure To Thrive Syndrome, you will enjoy our free, private Non Organic Failure To Thrive Social Network.
Article Source: JS2 Article Submission Software