What is failure to thrive?

Also known as: FTT, weight faltering, faltering weight

If an infant or child has a low body weight compared to other children of the same age/sex, is not maintaining or gaining weight at a normal rate, because of inadequate calorie intake, poor food absorption or increased caloric expenditure, the condition is known as failure to thrive. It may be related to a number of medical, behavioral and/or psychological problems.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM