Biomaterial Database

Failure-to-thrive: a study in a primary care setting. Epidemiology and follow-up. 1980

W G Mitchell, and R W Gorrell, and R A Greenberg

A cohort of 312 children followed in three rural primary care centers was studied. All cases of failure-to-thrive were identified (30) and compared to the remainder of the group. With the use of data from medical records, children with history of failure-to-thrive were found to be significantly lighter and shorter than the remainder of the population in each of the first five years of life. More cases had family problems. No differences were found in demographic characteristics or chronic illnesses. In the second phase of the study, cases and an equal-sized control group, from the same social setting, matched for age, sex, mother's marital status, and family problems, were examined at 3 to 6 years of age to assess outcome. This included physical examination, the McCarthy Scale of Children's Abilities, a behavior questionnaire, and an interview to assess life events. Cases were lighter but not shorter than controls. No instances of occult organic disease causing failure-to-thrive were identified. No behavioral or developmental deficits could be attributed to the failure-to-thrive.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009657	North Carolina	State bounded on the north by Virginia, on the east and Southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Georgia and South Carolina, and on the west by Tennessee.
D011320	Primary Health Care	Care which provides integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. (JAMA 1995;273(3):192)	Primary Care,Primary Healthcare,Care, Primary,Care, Primary Health,Health Care, Primary,Healthcare, Primary
D011581	Psychological Tests	Standardized tests designed to measure abilities (as in intelligence, aptitude, and achievement tests) or to evaluate personality traits.	Parenting Stress Index,Trier Social Stress Test,Trier Stress Test,Psychologic Tests,Psychological Test,Test, Psychological,Tests, Psychological,Index, Parenting Stress,Psychologic Test,Stress Index, Parenting,Stress Test, Trier,Test, Psychologic,Test, Trier Stress,Trier Stress Tests
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002652	Child Behavior	Any observable response or action of a child from 24 months through 12 years of age. For neonates or children younger than 24 months, INFANT BEHAVIOR is available.	Behavior, Child
D002657	Child Development	The continuous sequential physiological and psychological maturing of an individual from birth up to but not including ADOLESCENCE.	Infant Development,Development, Child,Development, Infant
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260	Female		Females
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup