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Chest Pain, Pediatric

Steven M. Selbst, MD Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Chest pain is a common pain syndrome in childhood. It is less common than abdominal pain and headache. Cardiac disease is an uncommon etiology. Musculoskeletal cause is most common. ...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Approach to patient

    • Identify the rare child with a serious cause for chest pain (see discussion in “Physical Exam”—important physical findings on general examination of child with chest pain)

      • ...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Chest pain in children is rarely related to cardiac pathology. However, not all children with chest pain have a benign etiology; pain associated with exertion, syncope, dizzi...

ONGOING CARE

PROGNOSIS

40% will have continued chest pain for 6 to 24 months. Follow-up care is important. Serious pathology is unlikely to be found if not diagnosed initially. However, watch for signs...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Agha BS, Sturm JJ, Simon HK, et al. Pulmonary embolism in the pediatric emergency department. Pediatrics.  2013;132(4):663–667. [View Abstract on OvidInsights]

  • Blake JM. A teen ...

CODES

ICD9

  • 786.5 Chest pain, unspecified

  • 786.59 Other chest pain

  • 493.9 Asthma, unspecified type, without mention of status asthmaticus

  • 848.8 Other specified sites of sprains and strains

  • 733.6 Tietze’s dise...

FAQ

  • Q: How common is chest pain in children?

  • A: Chest pain is a common pain syndrome reported in 6/1,000 children who present to an urban emergency department. The complaint is less common than abdomin...

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