Infant Malnutrition (FTT) — Set Discharge Goals — Clinical Pathway: Inpatient

Infant Malnutrition/Failure to Thrive (FTT) Clinical Pathway — Inpatient

Set Discharge Goals

Establish discharge goals based on adequate average daily weight gain or a remedied problem.

  1. Remedy Problem
    In situations where there is a clear reason discovered for poor weight gain that can be modified (e.g., inadequate milk supply and now supplementing), consider discharge once there is a clear feeding plan and primary care follow-up.
    or
  2. Appropriate Average Daily Weight Gain
    This table contains weight gain goals to maintain growth percentiles. Individual patient goal may need to be adjusted by Nutrition.
Age (corrected) Median gm/day Infants should regain birth weight by the first 2 weeks of life and not lose more than 10% of birth weight. Weight loss should cease by day 7 of life.
  Females Males
2 - 4 wks 29 34
4 wks - 2 mo 34 40
2 - 3 mo 24 27
3 - 4 mo 20 21
4 - 5 mo 16 17
5 - 6 mo 13 14
6 - 8 mo 11 11
8 - 10 mo 9 9
10 - 12 mo 8 8

Table adapted from the Malnutrition Diagnosis section, which is adapted from the WHO Child Growth Standards July 2010 (25th-75th%) and Fomon SJ, Haschke F, et al.: Body composition of reference children from birth to age 10 years. Am J Clin Nutr 1982;35:1169.

Discharge Instructions and Outpatient Follow-up