Noncardiac Chest Pain (Child)

Home care

Your child’s health care provider may prescribe medicines for pain or related symptoms such as a cough. Follow the provider’s instructions for giving these medicines to your child. Don’t give your child any medicines that the provider has not approved.

General care

• Let your child do their normal activities, as advised by your child’s health care provider and as tolerated.

• Learn to recognize your child’s signs of pain. Try to find comfort measures that soothe your child.

• Position your child so that they are as comfortable as possible when having chest pain. Change their position as needed.

• Put a covered heating pad (on warm setting, not hot) or warm cloth on the affected area. Do this for 20 minutes, 4 times a day.

• Ask your child’s provider about exercises to stretch the chest muscles. These may help ease pain.

• Talk with your child’s provider about the causes of your child’s pain. The provider may suggest other ways to ease it.

• Anti-inflammatory or steroid medicines may help reduce the pain. Talk with your child's provider to find out if this is needed.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child’s health care provider, or as advised.

When to get medical care

Contact your child’s health care provider right away if any of these occur:

• Fever (see "Fever and children" below)

• Symptoms don’t get better even with medicine or other treatment

• Behavior changes

• Chest pains come back again and again

• Symptoms don't get better in 7 days

Call 911

Call 911 right away if any of these occur:

• Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, or fast breathing

• Your child acts very ill or is too weak to stand

Fever and children

Use a digital thermometer to check your child’s temperature. Don’t use a mercury thermometer. There are different kinds and uses of digital thermometers. They include:

• Rectal. For children younger than 3 years, a rectal temperature is the most accurate.

• Forehead (temporal). This works for children age 3 months and older. If a child under 3 months old has signs of illness, this can be used for a first pass. The health care provider may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Ear (tympanic). Ear temperatures are accurate after 6 months of age, but not before.

• Armpit (axillary). This is the least reliable but may be used for a first pass to check a child of any age with signs of illness. The provider may want to confirm with a rectal temperature.

• Mouth (oral). Don’t use a thermometer in your child’s mouth until they are at least 4 years old.

Use a rectal thermometer with care. Follow the product maker’s directions for correct use. Insert it gently. Label it and make sure it’s not used in the mouth. It may pass on germs from the stool. If you don’t feel okay using a rectal thermometer, ask the provider what type to use instead. When you talk with any provider about your child’s fever, tell them which type you used.

Below is when to call the provider if your child has a fever. Your child’s provider may give you different numbers. Follow their instructions.

When to call a health care provider about your child’s fever

For a baby under 3 months old:

• First, ask your child’s health care provider how you should take the temperature.

• Rectal or forehead: 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

• Armpit: 99°F (37.2°C) or higher

• A fever of ___________as advised by the provider

For a child age 3 months to 36 months (3 years):

• Rectal or forehead: 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• Ear (only for use over age 6 months): 102°F (38.9°C) or higher

• A fever of ___________ as advised by the provider

In these cases:

• Armpit temperature of 103°F (39.4°C) or higher in a child of any age

• Temperature of 104°F (40°C) or higher in a child of any age

• A fever of ___________ as advised by the provider