FAQ: What does the new "faltering weight" guideline mean for your practice?
A new AAP/NASPGHAN guideline replaces "failure to thrive" with "faltering weight" and adopts z-score-based diagnostic criteria in place of percentiles.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) have published a new clinical practice guideline that retires the term "failure to thrive" in favor of "faltering weight," along with updated, z-score-based diagnostic criteria and 8 Key Action Statements to guide evaluation and treatment.¹ The guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and reflects work conducted by a multidisciplinary panel between 2021 and 2024, including pediatric gastroenterologists, a dietitian, a psychologist, a social worker, and a parent/caregiver liaison.¹