ABSTRACT
Failure to thrive (FTT) is a state of undernutrition when a child’s rate of growth fails to meet the potential expected for a child of that age. Many healthcare professionals solely identify FTT as a child’s weight falling below the 0.4th centile on standardised growth charts; however, this can be misleading, as some children are constitutionally small and may be growing healthily along their centile line. A careful history and examination can help identify the cause of FTT. Ideally, a feed or meal should be observed and a home visit scheduled by the public health nurse or other appropriate health professionals. Parents should be educated about strategies that can help establish healthy eating behaviours. The family’s general practitioner and community public health nurses have a key role to play in helping to address psychosocial stressors that may be contributing to the child’s FTT.
