Child Is Having Chest Pain With Racing Heartbeat. What Is The Disease Called?

Posted on Tue, 9 Apr 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 Answered on

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My 11 year old son has been complaining of chest pain for some weeks now. He has not been sick, no fever. So I thought maybe he was having acid reflex and gave him tums to take. He says tonight they havent really been helping and his heart is having a racing feeling. This hasn't slowed him down he has been able to go to school and participate in sports. Is it time in your opinion to have him checked?

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (3 hours later)

Hi
Welcome to XXXXXXX

You haven't provided the details of the exact side of the chest that your child is having pain. Also kindly mention any associated symptoms like cough, flu or temperature he have experienced during this time. The chest pain may sometime be confused with stomach pain but both have different presentations. I would request you to reply with the more detail so that a better opinion can be given.

Thanks
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (5 hours later)

he has not been sick with a cold, cough, or flue. He stats that it hurts on both sides of his chest. He will show me by rubbing across both sides of the chest. This is happening a couple times a day. I gave him tums to take thinking it might be acid reflex, he says they help very little. Then last night he complained that with the pain his heart was racing which made it hurt worse.

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Ishfaq Habib (38 minutes later)

Thanks for the reply

The chest pain with any other symptoms in this age group are due to 3 common reasons. that are acid reflux, muscle strain and costochondritis and certain heart diseases. The symptoms your child is having are most likely due to costochondritis which is inflammation of the intercostal cartilages which is benign.

On The counter available drugs like diclofenic sodium and paracetamol are very much effective in such conditions.

If you still have some query, feel free to ask

Thanks
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar