$Unique_ID{PAR00080}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Funnel Chest}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Funnel Chest sinking Breastbone sinks breathes out Hollow center
chest ribs breathing difficulty difficulties breathe diaphragm cartilage
retracting X-ray electrocardiogram}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Funnel Chest


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Breastbone sinks in when the child breathes out
     - Hollow appears in the center of the chest

     HOME CARE
     - True funnel chest cannot be treated at home.  Bring it to your doctor's
       attention at a routine checkup.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Do not be alarmed if the breastbone is only mildly sunken in an infant
       or young child.
     - A mild funnel chest usually causes no harm and will gradually correct
       itself as the child's ribs grow heavier and stronger.
     - Do not restrict your child's activities.
     - If the breastbone retracts (is pulled in) in a child who has shown no
       earlier signs of funnel chest, this may be a sign of breathing
       difficulty.  Consult your doctor.


     Funnel chest is a condition in which the breastbone is depressed or
sunken in.
     The breastbone connects the front ends of the ribs.  The diaphragm (a
band of muscle separating the chest and abdominal cavities) attaches in front
to the lower ribs and to the bottom of the breastbone.  In children, the ribs
are made of tough elastic tissue called cartilage, which gradually hardens
into bone as the child grows.  Since cartilage is not as strong as bone, the
ribs of a baby are delicate.  The diaphragm, however, is relatively strong,
and when some babies breathe in, the diaphragm pulls in the lower half of the
breastbone, causing a hollow (like a funnel) in the center of the chest.  A
true funnel chest exists if the breastbone is depressed when the child
breathes out as well, even while the child is at rest.
     Depression of the breastbone may be exaggerated when a child is making a
greater effort to breathe (for example, if he is choking or suffering from
bronchitis, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia).  This mechanism, called retracting,
is a sign of breathing difficulty.  If retracting occurs only when a child has
difficulty in breathing, he is not considered to have a true funnel chest.
     If the condition is mild or moderate, a funnel chest will cause no harm
and will gradually correct itself over the years as the child's ribs grow
heavier and stronger.  If funnel chest is severe, it may not correct itself
and may interfere with breathing.  Rarely is it severe enough to affect the
position or functioning of the heart.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     If the breastbone appears to be sunken in, forming a hollow in the center
of the chest, whenever a child breathes out, this may be a sign of true funnel
chest.

HOME CARE

     A true funnel chest cannot be treated at home.  Bring it to the attention
of your doctor.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Don't be alarmed by persistent mild to moderate depression of the
     breastbone in an infant or young child.
  -  Do not restrict your child's activities.
  -  If a child has not previously shown signs of a funnel chest, retractions
     of the lower portion of the breastbone are an important sign of breathing
     difficulty.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     Your doctor will determine if the child has a true funnel chest or if the
child is having temporary difficulty in breathing.  X-ray studies, an
electrocardiogram, and measurements of the lung capacity may be performed to
evaluate the severity of the condition and its effect, if any, on the heart
and lungs.
     If funnel chest is severe and persists without gradual improvement, the
condition may require surgery.  Surgery may be performed if there are signs of
limited heart or lung function or for cosmetic reasons.

RELATED TOPICS:  Bronchiolitis; Bronchitis; Choking; Hyperventilation;
Pneumonia; Shortness of breath