Etiology of Failure to Thrive in Infants and Toddlers Referred to a Pediatric Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic

The aim of this study is to determine the underlying etiology of failure to thrive (FTT) in infants and toddlers referred to an outpatient pediatric endocrinology clinic. A chart review was done on FTT referrals to a pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinic between 2002 and 2005. Majority of patients (51.5%) had a purely nutritional deficiency. The endocrine etiologies included short stature due to being small for gestational age, constitutional or familial short stature (28.9%). The third most common etiology was gastrointestinal disease. Endocrine causes of FTT seem to be rare even in the selected population of patients referred to pediatric endocrine outpatient clinics. In the primary care setting, nutritional assessment and consultation seem to be adequate in the majority of cases. Only a small percentage of the patients with FTT will require a multidisciplinary approach and more extensive work-up.