Inpatient Clinical Pathway for the Identification
and Diagnosis of Pediatric Malnutrition

Goals and Metrics
Patient Education
Provider Resources
All Admitted Patients
Screen for Malnutrition on Admission
(MD, NP, PA, RD, RN)
Risk Factors for Malnutrition
Contact RD for children where accurate anthropometrics (including height) cannot be obtained
< 1 mo corrected
Infants born < 37 wks gestational age
or
< 1 mo
Infants born > 37 wks gestational age
1 mo (Corrected Age) to
24 mos (Corrected Age)
WHO Growth Charts
2 yrs to ≤ 19 yrs
CDC Growth Charts
≥ 19 yrs
CDC Growth Charts
  • BMI < 18.5
  • Weight loss ≥ 5%
No Concern for Malnutrition
No Risk Factors Present
Concern for Malnutrition
≥ 1 Risk Factor
Document normal nutritional status
and
Monitor Anthropometrics
Inpatient < 24 Hours
Refer to PCP and/or
Outpatient RD Patient Family Information
Inpatient ≥ 24 Hours
≥ 1 Risk Factor
  1. Consult RD
  2. FLOC and RD to document degree of malnutrition diagnosis (see Abbreviated Age-based Malnutrition Criteria Table)
  3. Consider Additional Interventions
Posted: January 2016
Revised: March 2023
Authors: E. Bingham, RD; L. Carney, RD; E. Sullivan, RD; J. Bailer, RD; S. Weston, RD; A. Dean, RD; S. Boyden, RD;
S. Seiple, RD; L. Lo, MD; W. Chua, MD; M. Mascarenhas, MD; R. Herdes, MD