Inpatient Clinical Pathway for Evaluation/Treatment of Infants with Malnutrition (Failure to Thrive) < 12 months

Failure to thrive (FTT) is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Malnutrition is a diagnosis that more accurately describes inadequate nutrition and can be determined via clinical assessment.
Signs/Symptoms of Underlying Etiology
Routine laboratory and radiology studies are not generally recommended.
Initiate Feeding Recommendations on Admission
  • Use Infant Malnutrition Order Set
  • Consult to Clinical Nutrition Inpatient Dietitian, adjust feeding
    per recommendations
  • Consider Social Work consult
  • Additional consults as clinically indicated
  • Establish discharge goals, family education
Monitoring Weight Gain
Inadequate Weight Gain after 2-3 Days
Adequate Weight Gain or Problem Remedied
Meeting Intake Goals
Not Meeting Intake Goals
Review Causes
Consider Additional Consults
Consider NG Initiation
Posted: March 2019
Revised: August 2023
Editors: Clinical Pathways Team