Delayed Growth

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What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

A thorough history will be obtained from the parents, and a physical examination of the child will be performed.

Medical history questions documenting delayed growth in detail may include:

• Has the child always been on the low end of the growth charts?
• Was the child growing normally and then the growth slowed down?
• Is the child developing normal social skills and physical skills?
• Does the child eat well?
• What type of feeding schedule is used?
• Is the infant fed by breast or bottle?
• If breast-fed, what medications does the mother take?
• If bottle-fed:
  • What kind of formula is used?
  • How is the formula mixed?
• What kinds of food is the child eating (toddlers)?
• What medications does the child take?
• What other symptoms are also present?

There may also be questions about parenting habits, social interaction with the child, and similar questions.

Repeated measurements of height, weight, and head circumference will be performed.

The number of possible tests for failure to thrive is large, but usually only a few are necessary. The tests actually done will be determined by the diagnosis the physician is considering. Some of the more common tests are listed below:

• Blood tests (such as a CBC or blood differential, hemoglobin electrophoresis)
• Hormone studies
• Stool studies (to check for malabsorption)
• X-rays to determine bone age (X-rays of the hands and wrists as a measure of growth)
• X-rays of the long bones to look for new or old fractures