Failure to Thrive Syndrome Effects on the Physical and Cognitive Essay

Failure to Thrive Syndrome Effects on the Physical and Cognitive Development of Children - Essay Example This research paper drew on current secondary data to establish the effects of FTT on the physical and cognitive development of children. Prior results were supported. It is anticipated that this research will contribute to the body of knowledge investigating the effects of FTT on children. Failure to thrive (FTT) in early childhood is associated with developmental delays and is conceded to be associated with under-nutrition. The term FTT was used to replace a description of a syndrome of delayed growth and development called the 'maternal deprivation syndrome' (Wright, 2000). FTT, also known as growth failure, is not an actual diagnosis in itself, rather a descriptive term to identify a child or adult who does not meet established standards of healthy growth. In general, the term FTT is used when growth appears to be low, or has decreased over a period of time (Bassali & Benjamin, 2006). Wright (2000) defines this low growth rate in terms of growth chart percentiles, a fall of two centile spaces indicating mild to moderate FTT, and of three centile spaces to indicate severe FTT. A recent definition of FTT includes low weight-for-age, low BMI, low conditional weight gain, and Waterlow's criterion for wasting (Olsen, Peterson, Skovgaard, Weil, Jorgenson, & Wright, 2006) . It is evident that a combination of measurements is required to ascertain nutritional growth delays, and current longitudinal research is investigating the strength of different criteria to differentiate FTT and its subsequent outcomes (Olsen et al., 2006). Due to current medical technology there appears to be an increase in the numbers of children surviving an extremely low birth weight (ELWB;The aim of this paper is to identify the long term physical and cognitive outcomes in children diagnosed as having failure to thrive (FTT). First, a general background of FTT will be outlined. Second, recent studies that have investigated cognitive and or physical affects of FTT with children shall be presented. Next a discussion will provide a synthesis of the findings and the implication for children who survive FTT. Finally, a conclusion shall make recommendations for future research.FTT can be conceptualized as a failure of a child to meet expected weight, height, developmental and well- being standards (Wright, 2000). Predominantly, the FTT child is relatively undernourished and does not show a temperament or constitutional pattern that would be considered as within the norm for a child of their age. Organic disease, abuse and neglect, deprivation (i.e., low socio-economic status), and under-nutrition are all possible causes of FTT.n series of USA reports dated between 1980-1989 attributed FTT to 1-5% of the hospital admissions of children less than a year old (Bassali & Benjamin, 2006). It was also estimated that about 10% of children receiving primary care exhibited signs and symptoms of FTT. Although, internationally, developing nations tend to have much more common rates of malnutrition as compare to the