Growth failure in children: a symptom or a disease?

One of the most important aspects of a well-child examination is an assessment of a child's growth. Children who are failing to grow are often labeled "failure to thrive." However, close examination of the pattern of growth on standardized growth charts often allows the caregiver to characterize the growth failure as failure to grow, failure to gain weight, or failure to grow and gain weight. Such refinement of the pattern of growth failure allows for a more specific differential diagnosis and helps to focus laboratory and radiographic evaluation.