$Unique_ID{BRK00945}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Is Constant Chest Pain in a Child Related to Angina?}
$Subject{adolescent child care Ill Defined Symptoms symptom chest pain
musculoskeletal pains coughing inflammation rib cartilage ribs costochondritis
pneumonia stomach problems heart birth defects emotional psychogenic
spasms devil's grip coxsackie virus}
$Volume{S-0}
$Log{
The Heart's Blood Supply*0008901.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Is Constant Chest Pain in a Child Related to Angina?


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QUESTION:  We are having a great deal of trouble with our 12 year old son, and
a constant complaint of chest pain.  His father suffers from angina, and we
think that this may have something to do with it, but with athletes in fine
physical condition falling over dead on basketball courts we want to be sure
that nothing is going to happen to our boy.  What should we do?

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ANSWER:  I think the first piece of advice I can offer is to take the 
complaints seriously, and have a thorough checkup and evaluation at your 
doctor's office.  I say this in the full knowledge that though such complaints 
are common in children, they are rarely the result of serious disease.  Even 
when a complete investigation is over, the cause of the pains will remain a 
mystery in from 21 to 45 percent of the cases.  The most common problem where 
a diagnosis is found turns out to be musculoskeletal pain, or pains of the 
muscles, bones and cartilage that forms the chest cage.  Injuries that are 
provoked by excessive exercise or the minor blows that occur during contact 
sports can leave a muscle strained, bruised and more than a bit painful.  
About 16 percent of chest pains in youngsters are diagnosed with these causes.  
Pain from coughing, inflammation of the cartilage that forms the end of the 
ribs (costochondritis), pneumonia and even problems in the stomach and 
intestines all rank well above the possibility that such pains are to due a 
heart problem, which accounts for only 4 percent of chest pain in children.  
The conditions in children may result from birth defects of the heart or 
infections, although heart attacks that resemble those in adults are not 
unheard of, especially in children with long standing diabetes.  About 9 
percent of all cases are classified as emotional or psychogenic, and this is 
about four times more likely in families where there is a history of chest 
pain, as is the case with you.  Much of the anxiety and fear can be helped 
when the results of the examinations show no disease present.  A few rare but 
interesting causes are a virus infection that causes spasms of pain in the 
chest called "devil's grip".  It can occur when a coxsackie virus strikes. 
Another possibility you might check into is cigarette smoking.  Be sure to 
give your physician an accurate description of the events that lead up to a 
painful episode, for a good history is half the battle won towards an accurate 
diagnosis.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.