Organic failure to thrive vs Non-organic failure to thrive
How to tell Organic failure to thrive and Non-organic failure to thrive apart when a board question makes them look alike.
Organic FTT: a medical cause limits intake, absorption, or metabolism; non-organic FTT: psychosocial, with catch-up growth when fed elsewhere.
Side by side
Organic failure to thrive is poor growth from medical disease, malabsorption, increased metabolic demand, chronic infection, endocrine disease, or congenital disorder.
Non-organic failure to thrive is poor growth from inadequate caloric intake, psychosocial deprivation, feeding interaction problems, or neglect.
Organic failure to thrive is poor growth from medical disease, malabsorption, increased metabolic demand, chronic infection, endocrine disease, or congenital disorder.
Non-organic failure to thrive is poor growth from inadequate caloric intake, psychosocial deprivation, feeding interaction problems, or neglect.
The trap
Organic FTT has medical cause; non-organic FTT has intake/psychosocial cause.
The repair move
Before naming the answer, force the stem through the separator: Organic FTT has medical cause; non-organic FTT has intake/psychosocial cause.
Try a free question
CoreA 14-month-old child has had progressive failure to gain weight, with weight crossing two major percentile lines downward (from 50th to <5th percentile) over 6 months. He has had recurrent respiratory infections, foul-smelling fatty stools, and salty-tasting skin reported by his mother. Sweat chloride test shows chloride 75 mmol/L. Which type of failure to thrive is this?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Organic failure to thrive. Organic failure to thrive has an identifiable MEDICAL cause: inadequate intake (cleft palate, oromotor dysfunction), inadequate absorption (cystic fibrosis, celiac, milk protein allergy), increased metabolic demand (chronic infection, congenital heart disease, hyperthyroidism), or genetic/metabolic disease. This patient's history (foul-smelling stools, recurrent respiratory infections, salty skin) and positive sweat chloride confirm cystic fibrosis as the organic cause.
Why the other choices are tempting
- B. Non-organic FTT has no identifiable medical cause; growth improves in different environment.
- C. Constitutional growth delay is normal variant with delayed puberty.
- D. Genetic short stature has parents with similar short stature; normal growth velocity.
- E. Idiopathic is a diagnosis of exclusion.
Flashcards
Tap a card to flip it.
What clue supports Organic failure to thrive?
Choose Organic failure to thrive when the stem gives this pattern: Organic failure to thrive is poor growth from medical disease, malabsorption, increased metabolic demand, chronic infection, endocrine disease, or congenital disorder.
What clue supports Non-organic failure to thrive?
Choose Non-organic failure to thrive when the stem gives this contrasting pattern: Non-organic failure to thrive is poor growth from inadequate caloric intake, psychosocial deprivation, feeding interaction problems, or neglect.
Quick answers
What is the fastest way to tell Organic failure to thrive from Non-organic failure to thrive?
Organic FTT: a medical cause limits intake, absorption, or metabolism; non-organic FTT: psychosocial, with catch-up growth when fed elsewhere.
What is the key clue for Organic failure to thrive?
Organic failure to thrive is poor growth from medical disease, malabsorption, increased metabolic demand, chronic infection, endocrine disease, or congenital disorder.
What is the key clue for Non-organic failure to thrive?
Non-organic failure to thrive is poor growth from inadequate caloric intake, psychosocial deprivation, feeding interaction problems, or neglect.
What is the common trap with Organic failure to thrive vs Non-organic failure to thrive?
Organic FTT has medical cause; non-organic FTT has intake/psychosocial cause.