As a parent, we wish mainly for one thing, and that is, our baby being full, chubby and definitely not skinny like the neighborhood kid out there. With this wish, come worries, anxiety, and a feeling not doing enough as a parent.
But being full, does not equate being healthy.Growth in children is measured as per age and sex specific growth charts, and anything more than 95th percentile or less than 3rd percentile, rings a bell to us as a pediatrician that the child is not growing appropriately as needed for age.
Anything within this range is acceptable if the child is following a similar curve throughout the major growth phases of his/her life.
Failure to thrive has many causes.
1. Psychosomatic (ex: child abuse, child neglect)
2. idiopathic(ex: Small for gestational age babies)
3. Organic
- Hormonal ( ex: growth hormone, thyroid hormone deficiencies),
-Syndromic causes(ex: down syndrome, turner syndrome etc)and
-Systemic causes( like chronic ailments of heart, lung,kidney and gut) needing detailed evaluation
Catch up growth:
If a child has a potential to reach a particular and higher growth curve, but failed to do so due to unfavorable circumstances either before or after birth, pediatricians put them on appropriate balanced diet, if needed liaising with pediatric dietician (ruling out all other causes major causes of failure to thrive as mentioned above and treating them appropriately if diagnosed) and plot the growth of the child at regular intervals in growth charts which usually shoots reaching a higher but acceptable growth curve and this catch up usually happens upto 7years of age after birth.
Catch down growth:
If a child is large for gestational age, then there is a possibility they can falter the growth curve, till they reach a lower growth curve which is appropriate for them and grow proportionately from then on wards. This faltering growth is not pathological and possible in babies who are overweight or obese initially.
Thanks for reading.