causes-of-chest-pain-in-children

Chest pain in children is typically non-cardiac in origin, with less than 1% attributed to heart-related issues. Assessing children with chest pain involves a thorough history, clinical examinations to check the vital signs, and physical examination; tests like chest radiographs and electrocardiograms should be advised.

Common non-cardiac causes include musculoskeletal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, psychogenic, and idiopathic factors. Although many non-cardiac causes may not be dangerous, they require evaluation and potential treatment. Characteristics that may suggest that chest pain in children is heart-related:

• Chest pain improves with rest
• Breathing difficulty
• Tiredness
• Chest pressure
• Fainting
• Previous history of cardiac problems at birth; family history of heart disease; heart murmur; or abnormal ECG

Children with such issues should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist. Further evaluation of such patients entails echocardiograms to assess heart structure and function.

While most evaluations do not reveal issues, a comprehensive assessment is essential to rule out potential heart conditions. Possible heart-related causes include – myocarditis, arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy. Medical teams should collaborate with parents to understand and address the underlying cause of chest pain in children.

Source: O’Meara D. Chest Pain in Children. JAMA Pediatrics. 2023 Oct 1;177(10):1112-.