Chest Pain
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.
Please see Red-Amber-Green tables for advice on when and where to seek care for your child.
When should you worry?
If your child has any of the following:
If your child has chest pain and risk factors for a more serious heart condition including:
- Congenital heart disease or previous heart surgery
- Previous Kawasaki disease
- A cholesterol disorder
- Sickle cell disease
- A history of using stimulating drugs like cocaine
- Family history of arrhythmia, heart disease or sudden death
If your child has severe chest pain and none of the above risks:
- Has a very fast or irregular heart rate (palpitations)
- Has recently had an accident
- Has had a collapse
- Breathing very fast, too breathless to talk, eat or drink
- Working hard to breathe, drawing in of the muscles below the ribs, or noisy breathing (grunting)
- Breathing that stops or pauses
- Is pale, blue, mottled or feels unusually cold to touch
- Difficult to wake up, very sleepy or confused
- Has a fit (seizure)
Has a rash that does not disappear with pressure (the glass test)
You need urgent help.
Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or call 999 - dial 999.
If your child has any of the following:
- Has pain that travels to the neck or left shoulder and arm
- Feels faint or dizzy when pain occurs
- Chest pain during exercise
- Chest pain doesn’t go away with simple pain killers
- Chest pain and cough
- Chest pain and fever
- Breathing a bit faster than normal or working a bit harder to breathe
- Dry skin, lips or tongue
- Not had a wee or wet nappy in last 8 hours
- Temperature of 38°C or above for more than 5 days or shivering with fever (rigors)
- Temperature less than 36°C
- Getting worse and I am still worried
You need to contact a doctor or nurse today.
Please contact 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 your child has none of the above
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.
Self care
Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111.
Advice and Guidance
Self care and Prevention
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