J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1994 Apr;37(4):464-471.

A Study on Non-Organic Failure to Thrive Infants

• Lee K

Abstract

Failure to thrive (FTT) is defined when the weight of a child is below 3rd percentile or when there is sudden weight loss in history. If organic cause of the weight loss is not found, it is called non-organic failure to thrive(NETT). Relatively little attention has been paid to NFTT in Korea for various reasons and the incidence is not known. 25 NFTT infants, aged 3 to 36 months, and 25 controls, matched by age and sex of the infants and age and education of the mothers, were studied through interviews, questionnaires and MMP1. None of the NFTT and control infants had signs of developmental delay on Korean DDST, but the NFTT babies had more negative attitudes toward foods and were viewed by their mothers as more 'difficult' compared to the controls. Screening of home situations were similar in both groups. There was no difference in reports of mothers' childhood, marital status, mental states or current relations with extended family members. Analysis of MMPI of mothers of NFTT babies showed lower T-scores in Hs (hypochondreiasis) and Hy (hysteria) and higher in Mf (masculinitty-feminity) scales than those of mothers of the controls. But most the scores of scores of MMPI of mothers were within normal limits. Conclusion:Multiple factors seem to play roles in the development of NFTT, the babies' attitudes toward food and temperament being the major ones. The relative improtance of any single factor varies according to each particular infant. Contrary to the findings of other Engligh reports, mothers' mental status was found to play negligible role in the development of NFTT in this study.

MeSH Terms

Child
Education
Failure to Thrive*
Humans
Incidence
Infant*
Korea
Marital Status
Mass Screening
MMPI
Mothers
Surveys and Questionnaires
Temperament
Weight Loss
Weights and Measures