Chest pain is common in children and teenagers.
In most cases, it is not serious and can usually be treated with simple pain killers at home.
If your child has chest pain and risk factors for a more serious heart condition including:
If your child has severe chest pain and none of the above risks:
Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999
Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111
If symptoms persist for 4 hours or more and you have not been able to speak to either a member of staff from your GP practice or to NHS 111 staff, recheck that your child has not developed any red features
If no red or amber signs, continue to provide self care at home with simple pain killers like paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Watch them closely for any change and look out for any red or amber symptoms
If your child has a long term condition or disability and you are worried please contact your regular team or follow any plans that they have given you.
Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111
Sometimes we do not know exactly what causes chest pain. Often it happens after coughing and straining of the muscles around the rib cage.
Costochondritis:
Pain over the front of the chest caused by inflammation where the sternum (breast bone) meets the ribs. It can worsen with a deep breath, coughing or if someone presses on the affected area.
What can I do?
Precordial catch syndrome:
Sharp pains in a small area of the chest when breathing in. Due to irritation of the nerves in between the ribs, this normally gets better by itself within a few minutes.
Acid reflux:
The burning feeling in your chest caused by stomach acid travelling upwards towards the throat. Often there is no obvious reason why this happens but can sometimes be triggered by a virus irritating the stomach lining.
Stress and anxiety:
Chest pain or tightness triggered when feeling stressed or worried. Often this can be related to a significant event in a child’s life, or sometimes there is no obvious cause.
This guidance is written by healthcare professionals from across Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.
