Treatment of lack of growth in children

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Treatment of lack of growth in children

Contents

1 Lack of growth in children

2 Treatment of lack of growth in children

2.1 The factors that depend upon the treatment of growth deficiency in children

2.2 Treatment of stunted growth by providing counseling and support to the family

3References

Stunted growth in children

Lack of growth, failure to thrive, stumbling or stagnant weight,

It is a term used to express a situation in which the child’s weight or the speed of gaining weight is less than the normal limit compared to children of his age,

That is, the speed of the child’s growth does not achieve the expected speed of the child’s growth at the same age,

As it is difficult to know the expected growth rate for all children due to the presence of a number of factors that affect growth, such as genetic and ethnic factors,

In this regard, understanding the natural growth of infants may contribute to the detection of the occurrence of abnormal growth in the infant,

A full-fledged infant usually loses about 10% of its weight in the first days after its birth,

Then he quickly gains this weight again within two weeks, while his weight doubles in about the sixth month,

With the passage of the year of his life, it is expected that his weight has increased by three times.

However, this does not apply to a child who suffers from stunted growth.

And who does not show these changes that accompany the growth and development of the infant in the normal state,

Rather, losing weight or not gaining weight is continuous.

The reason for a child’s lack of growth may be attributed to:

1- Not getting the nutrients needed for growth and weight gain,

2- Or because his body is unable to retain these nutrients,

As the condition progresses, some symptoms may appear on the child who suffers from lack of nutrition, such as apathy and irritability,

It is possible that he does not show the usual signs of development, such as sitting, walking, and the ability to speak.

In general, children and infants with stunted growth appear younger.

Or a shorter length that is significantly noticeable compared to children of the same age,

As for adolescence, it appears in the form of short stature, or the absence of the changes that usually occur during puberty,

However, there is great variation in what can be considered a normal development and growth for an individual.

Treatment of lack of growth in children

Treatment of lack of growth in children aims to address the basic problems in child nutrition,

And ensuring that he gets the calories his body needs for growth,

Usually treatment can be done at home along with regular visits to the doctor,

It should be noted that there is no clear period of time for treatment,

It may take several months for the baby to be within the healthy weight range for people his age.

The factors that depend on the treatment of growth deficiency in children

There are a set of factors that the doctor relies on in choosing a specific treatment for a child’s lack of growth, and among these factors are the following:

Symptoms experienced by the child.
The child’s age, general health, and medical history.
The child’s tolerance for certain types of drugs, procedures, or treatments.
The cause of the child’s lack of growth.
Predictions of a child’s course of the condition.

Treating stunted growth with family counseling and support

In fact, there is no identifiable underlying cause of stunted growth in a child in many cases,

This may be limited to the problem of nutritional deficiency in the child, due to the amount of energy needed by his body

Most cases of nutritional deficiencies in children can be managed through the provision of family advice and support by a health care provider or nutritionist.

Among the strategies and methods that can be taken into consideration to increase the amount of energy that a child over nine months old obtains:

First: the diet:

Provide the child with food for three main meals, in addition to two snacks every day.
Increase the amount of energy in regular foods, and this can be achieved by adding cheese, cream, or margarine.
Limit the amount of milk a child consumes per day and reduce it to 500 ml / day.
Increase and diversify the number of foods offered to the child.
Avoid consuming large amounts of fruit juices.

Second: Behaviors:

Offer meals at regular times, and eat them with the rest of the family.
Praise and compliment the child when he eats, and ignore him when he is not eating his food.
Avoid forcing the child to eat.
Limit time to eat to 30 minutes.
Avoid scheduling conflicts between meals.
Parents make sure to eat their food with the child at the same time.

Treatment of severe growth deficiency in children

In some cases, the child continues to suffer from the problem of gaining weight despite the increase in the number of calories provided to him,

In this case, the child may need to be admitted to the hospital to be evaluated by a pediatric nutritionist.

His weight and nutrition trends are also monitored.

The child is provided with food and is monitored around the clock for a period ranging between 10-14 days or more until he gains some weight,

As for the symptoms of acute nutritional deficiency, they take several months to disappear.

Sometimes the initial treatment does not achieve an increase in the child’s growth, which necessitates the use of a feeding tube,

It is a tube that runs from the nose to the stomach.

It is used to introduce liquid foodstuffs at a constant speed into the child’s body,

Its use is usually limited to the night hours when the child can continue his daily activities and eat freely during the day.

İmportant notice:

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The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice or professional diagnosis.

Moreover, the information on this website should not be taken as final medical advice in relation to any case or individual situation.

We strongly recommend that you always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health service provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition, your general health, or the health of your child.