EC Paediatrics

Introduction: Chest pain can be an alarming complaint in children, which may frighten and concerned family to a pediatrician or emergency room and a further referral to a pediatric cardiologist. Since chest pain in common associated with significant cardiovascular diseases and sudden death in adult patients, medical personnel commonly have heightened concerns over pediatric patients presenting with chest pain. Several causes of chest pain in children are self-limited but serious and life-threatening etiologies also exist. Moreover, chest pain is a maybe worrisome symptom for families who fear a cardiac cause, and this may lead to school absence and limitation of activities. Therefore, the physicians must be familiar with all possible causes for chest pain and attempt to identify the etiology properly. Thorough case history and physical examination are sufficient to identify the source of the pain, and diagnostic tests can be run on a selective basis to address concerns identified. Only after a serious cause has been excluded should reassurance and symptomatic care be offered.

Aim of the Study: The aim of the review is to understand the causes of the chest and management of the same accordingly.

Methodology: The review is comprehensive research of PUBMED since the year 1976 to 2011.

Conclusion: Chest pain is a relatively infrequent and mostly benign in occurrence in pediatrics. Detailed case history and physical examination are usually all that is necessary for excluding the rare, life-threatening causes of chest pain. These rare, life-threatening events require immediate evaluation, treatment, and subspecialty consultation. Idiopathic chest pain is known to be the most frequent diagnosis in pediatric chest pain, and the symptoms are typically chronic. Laboratory testing is usually nondiagnostic, costly, and burdensome to patients and, therefore unnecessary. A long-term, trusting relationship with the patients and their families is needed to reassure them and allow symptoms to resolve.

Keywords: Pediatric Chest Pain; Causes; Management

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