Evidence That Growth Failure From Maternal Deprivation Is Secondary to Undereating

This study was instituted to test the validity of the assumption that the growth failure in the "maternal deprivation syndrome" is due to psychological factors. Eleven of 13 maternally deprived infants gained weight at an accelerated rate when fed adequately while living in a hospital environment which simulated their home environment. Two failed to gain, but their intakes were low. In addition, seven of seven deprived infants gained rapidly in their own homes when fed an adequate diet by the mother (in the presence of our observer) during a period when it was unlikely that overall maternal handling improved. The data suggest that maternally deprived infants are underweight because of undereating which is secondary to not being offered adequate food or not accepting it, and not because of some psychologically induced defect in absorption or metabolism.