Failure to thrive (FTT) is a heartbreaking phrase no parent wants to hear. It describes a child whose growth and development aren’t unfolding as naturally or steadily as expected. In the United States, this diagnosis is more common than many realize, showing up in 5-10% of children seen in primary care and 3-5% of children in hospital settings. Most cases, approximately 80%, appear before a child reaches 18 months.
But behind every statistic is a family: Parents searching for answers, sleepless nights and a feeling that something’s off, even when tests come back “normal.”
At Awaken Chiropractic Center, we believe those signals from the body deserve more than a label. They deserve understanding.
What Does “Failure to Thrive” Actually Mean?
Failure to thrive is more than just slow weight gain. It’s a cluster of signs that a child’s body isn’t developing as expected. It can include:
- Height, weight, or head circumference falling far below the growth chart
- A sharp drop in growth after a period of normal development
- Delays in rolling over, sitting, crawling, walking, or social engagement
- Difficulty feeding, low energy, poor muscle tone, or being difficult to soothe
Some cases have clear medical causes like chronic infections, neurological conditions, metabolic disorders, or pregnancy complications. But many families are left without answers, even after extensive testing.
A Different Lens: The Nervous System’s Role in Growth
While conventional medicine focuses on symptoms and pathology, chiropractic looks deeper: at the function of the nervous system.
Why? Because the nervous system controls everything: digestion, muscle tone, immune response, reflexes, even the baby’s ability to latch and feed. If that system isn’t working clearly, the body can’t regulate growth the way it’s designed to.
Structural shifts in the spine—known as vertebral subluxations—can interfere with the delicate flow of information between the brain and the body. These misalignments may be caused by birth stress, in-utero constraint, or early developmental patterns. They don’t always cause pain, but they often create subtle tension, fatigue, and disruption in how the body functions.
At Awaken Chiropractic Center, we use non-invasive, radiation free scanning technology, and safe, gentle techniques to identify and correct these misalignments so the nervous system can work with more clarity and ease.
Case Spotlight: A 13-Day-Old Infant on the Brink of Hospitalization
One published case tells the story of a 13-day-old baby boy whose parents were facing a terrifying unknown. He had already lost 27 ounces since birth. Breastfeeding was nearly impossible: his latch was weak, his energy low, and his cry barely audible. He was inconsolable most of the time, and his exhausted parents were told hospitalization for tube feeding would be the next step if his weight didn’t stabilize.
Medical tests offered no clear cause.
That’s when they turned to a chiropractor.
The exam revealed tension and structural shifts in his neck, mid-back, low back, and sacrum, areas that influence digestion, sucking reflexes, and nervous system regulation.
His reflexes were diminished.
His muscles were tight.
His posture was off.
All signs that his body wasn’t adapting well to life outside the womb.
After receiving gentle chiropractic adjustments to release the tension and restore balance to his spine and nervous system, he began to improve.
He fed better.
He gained weight.
And he avoided hospitalization.
Families Deserve More Than a Diagnosis
For parents navigating failure to thrive, there’s often an invisible grief; feeling like your child isn’t doing what they’re “supposed to,” even though you’re doing everything you can.
We want you to know: there is hope.
Chiropractic care offers a natural, drug-free approach that looks at the whole child structurally, neurologically, and energetically. We don’t chase symptoms. We help clear the roadblocks so your child’s body can get back to what it knows how to do: grow, develop, and thrive!
Why Families Are Turning to Chiropractic
Chiropractic is now the most sought-after form of natural health care for children, with up to 30 million pediatric visits annually.
Parents are asking better questions.
They want care that actually supports their child, not just the suppression of symptoms.
At Awaken Chiropractic Center, each care plan is uniquely designed based on InSight scans, a thorough evaluation, and deep listening—to both the child’s body and the family’s goals.
We work with babies, children, and parents who are ready to shift:
- from fear to empowerment
- from frustration to function
- from surviving to thriving
Is Your Child’s Body Asking for a New Approach?
Growth isn’t just about numbers on a chart. It’s about energy, connection, adaptability, and ease in the body. If your child isn’t meeting milestones, struggles to feed, or just doesn’t seem like themselves—listen to that nudge.
Your intuition is powerful.
Let’s find out what their nervous system is trying to say.
Schedule a pediatric chiropractic evaluation at Awaken Chiropractic Center in Port St. Lucie and discover how a clear, connected nervous system can help your child thrive—naturally.
Resolution of Failure to Thrive in an Infant Following Chiropractic Care to Reduce Vertebral Subluxation: A Case Report & Review of the Literature. Jen Santos, DC, CACCP & Joel Alcantara, DC, PhDc. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic ~ Volume, 2021