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Children's health

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Original poster

Funnel Chest

9 replies

VictoriaMc77 · 31/07/2011 18:57

Hi, I have noticed that my 4 month DS has developed a small dip in his chest - which I understand to be funnel chest.

My husband has this condition and it has never bothered him.

I'm going to take DS to doc's next week for advice but just wondered if anyone else had any experience of this?

Thanks

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bumbleymummy · 01/08/2011 02:07

Yes, DH has it and DS1 - apparently it's hereditary. DH's youngest brother has it too. None of them have had any problems with it. I think if it is very severe that it can potentially cause breathing difficulties but it has to be very severe for that. Always worth getting reassurance from the doc but probably nothing to worry about :) hth

Elibean · 01/08/2011 20:37

dd2 has a dip in her chest - we thought it was because she worked hard to breathe as a baby/toddler, till she had tonsils and adenoids out (and her larynx enlarged) at 24 months. But maybe not.

Its not a problem at all, but she looks as though she has a little cleavage - aged 4.5

GoldenGreen · 01/08/2011 20:47

DD has it. I took her to the GP at around 4 months, who checked with the children's clinic at the hospital, said I needed a referral, and I had to take her in to be seen at 6 and 12 months. In the end, every health professional told me the same thing - that you just have to wait and see what happens as she grows, and keep an eye out for any potential breathing problems. It apparently becomes more pronounced during puberty and big growth spurts.

Interesting what you say about your dd2, Elibean - dd seems to snore a lot and whenever she has a breastfeed she makes a lot of noise through her nose. And sometimes sleeps a bit fitfully, breathing through her mouth. I have been wondering whether her tonsils or adenoids need to come out.

LadyDamerel · 01/08/2011 20:58

My nephew has just been diagnosed with this and the consultant paed they saw said exactly what everyone else has written here.

Elibean/GG, my dsis was concerned about her DS's breathing because he has been very snuffly and snorty since he was born. She thought it was because he was a CS birth but it hasn't improved. She's waiting on an ENT appointment atm but the paed said the 'struggle' with his breathing may have made the dip in his chest worse.

Elibean · 01/08/2011 22:25

Yes, they said initially with dd it was the CS birth (she was snuffly, occasionally a bit choky). It wasn't, it was laryngomalacia - aka floppy larynx. She was diagnosed at 4 weeks old, because it became obvious when she got very sick, very fast, with RSV.

I don't remember her chest dipping when she was a baby, only later - hence my assumuption that it was to do with the degree of effort she made to breathe at night. The floppy larynx didn't help, but the tonsils (which grew larger and larger till she stopped eating much) and adenoids were definite culprits: she ended up with sleep apnoea, losing weight, awful

Post-op, she bounced back and is a thriving, if still snorey, 4.5 year old. With a cleavage

Very interesting to hear the links with breathing/ENT issues....hope all goes well with your nephew, LadyD. ENT referral sounds like a good call.

Elibean · 01/08/2011 22:26

GoldenGreen, really good you are keeping an eye out for ENT issues too - GPs tend to miss it all the time, mostly because it happens at night!

Original poster

VictoriaMc77 · 02/08/2011 13:20

Thanks for all the comments.

Have made an appointment with the docs on Thursday so will let you know how we get on ...

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bossyboop · 02/08/2011 18:13

my dd age 4 also has this and has sleep apnoea, enlarged tonsils and asthma but all the specialists think she will grown out of these problems so taking a wait and see approach before we can get her tonsils removed.

Original poster

VictoriaMc77 · 05/08/2011 07:36

Hi,
Went to docs yesterday and she looked at his chest and simply said, "yes, its pigeon chest". She didn't seem remotely concerned and said its pretty common and there is no need to do anything. She did say there is an operation that can be done in later life but she said its not a nice operation and unless its causing problems its definitely not a route to take lightly.

Feel much better about it and have decided to not worry or give it too much thought. Its funny tho that since I was talking to my gran about it, it turns out she has it too!!! My mum didn't even know my gran had it!!

Thanks for all your replies.
x

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