Rather than a sinister condition confined to the poorest or most negligent families, 'faltering growth' - formerly known as 'failure to thrive' - is in fact a common condition of childhood that could occur in any home.
One in 20 children aged under five develop distressing feeding problems and do not grow at the expected rate, and evidence now suggests that faltering growth occurs in all socio-economic groups. In only a tiny per-centage of cases is there emotional or physical abuse or neglect, and in only 5 per cent of cases is there an organic cause.
New research by the Children's Society shows that many children with faltering growth undergo medical tests, which are usually inconclusive. The babies or children are also frequently admitted to hospital, which causes more stress and worry for child and parents alike without resolving the problem. Often parents lose confidence in themselves and suffer feelings of guilt and failure, and the feeding problems get worse.
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