Chest pain can be caused by many things, from a pulled muscle to asthma. Depending on the reason for the pain, the symptoms may differ. Chest pain in children is rarely a sign of heart trouble. Signs and Symptoms tightness discomfort burning sensation pain when taking deep breaths coughing wheezing What to Do Call the doctor if your child has ongoing chest pain. Get Emergency Medical Care If: Chest pain happens during exercise. Your child has: trouble breathing or rapid breathing a racing heart or heart palpitations (fluttering) pressure in the chest dizziness or fainting blue or gray color around the lips Think Prevention! It's hard to always avoid chest pain because it has many possible causes. But you can: Make sure kids get routine immunizations to prevent infections that could cause chest pain. Follow the doctor's treatment plan if your child has asthma. Avoid foods that seem to bring on indigestion. Make sure kids have a sports physical before playing organized sports. Back to Articles Related Articles Asthma Center Visit our Asthma Center for information and advice on managing and living with asthma. Read More Asthma Center Asthma means breathing problems. Find out what's going on in the lungs and how to stay healthy, if you have it. Read More Sports Physicals If you play team sports, you may have had a sports physical. A sports physical is a visit to the doctor to make sure you're in good enough shape to play the sport you want to play. Read More Sports Physicals Just as professional sports stars need medical care to keep them playing their best, so do student athletes. That's why it's important to make sure that kids and teens get a sports physical. Read More Sports Physicals Just as professional sports stars need medical care to keep them playing their best, so do student athletes. That's why it's important to get a sports physical. Read More Can I Work Out Without Breast Pain? Find out what the experts have to say. Read More A to Z Symptom: Chest Pain Most causes of chest pain in kids and teens are not serious and will clear up with minimal or no treatment. Read More Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Gastroesophageal reflux disease doesn't just affect old people who eat too much while watching TV. Active, healthy teens can have GERD too. Read More Costochondritis Costochondritis is a painful swelling of the cartilage that attaches the ribs to the breastbone. It's one of the most common causes of chest pain in kids and teens. Read More Asthma Center Asthma keeps more kids home from school than any other chronic illness. Learn how to help your child manage the condition, stay healthy, and stay in school. Read More Being Afraid Have you ever been afraid? Everyone gets scared sometimes. Find out more about fear in this article for kids. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.