A nurse is teaching a mother of an infant who has been diagnosed with failure to thrive (FTT) about the treatment for the condition. Which statement by the nurse is appropriate?

Question

A) "Appetite stimulant medications will be prescribed to help your child gain weight."
B) "If your child is breastfeeding, you must stop and feed your child formula."
C) "A home care nurse will be visiting to see how your child eats."
D) "A home care nurse will be visiting to insert a nasogastric feeding tube in your child."

Answer 1

Answer: C

Teaching the child's parent is paramount in the treatment for a child with FTT. A home care nurse may visit the child's home to observe how the child eats in order to teach the child's parent about any barriers or techniques to improve nutrition. No specific pharmacological therapy is indicated with FTT. A woman who is breastfeeding a child with FTT does not need to stop breastfeeding. The mother should be provided teaching about proper breastfeeding techniques and additional information as needed. A child with FTT does not automatically require a nasogastric tube for enteral feedings.