Precordial Catch Syndrome: How to Care for Your Child

Precordial (pree-KOR-dee-ul) catch syndrome is sharp pain over the left side of the chest that happens suddenly. It lasts just a few seconds. Taking a deep breath usually makes the pain worse. It often happens during rest or with a quick change in position. Precordial catch is not serious and is a common cause of chest pain in children and teenagers. Health care providers don't know the exact cause of the pain. They believe it could be due to pinching of a nerve along with muscle spasm in the chest.

• Because the pain is brief and goes away on its own within a few minutes, pain medicines like Tylenol or Motrin aren't usually needed. 

• When the pain happens, tell your child to take a few slow, gentle breaths.

• If slow breaths do not help the pain, tell your child to take one or two deep breaths. This may make the pain worse for a few seconds, but then it should get better. 

• Your child's chest pain happens during exercise. In that case, the health care provider may do testing. 

• Your child has chest pain with fever and cough. 

• Your child has chest pain after an injury to the chest.

• Your child has any of these symptoms:

  • dizziness

  • fainting 

  • palpitations (skipped heartbeats) 

How is precordial catch syndrome diagnosed? Health care providers diagnose precordial catch syndrome by asking questions and doing an exam. Tests aren't needed. 

How often does precordial catch happen? Precordial catch is not the same for all children. Some feel this pain every day, while others may go years without having any chest pain after the first episode.

Will my child outgrow precordial catch? Most children outgrow precordial catch syndrome by the time they reach early adulthood. Some people will still have symptoms as adults.