Chest pain on eating

[Laurah1979]

My 6 year old son has been suffering with pain around his chest/breastbone when eating. He has no pain afterward, just when he eats food. He's had a bad cough the last 3 weeks but says the pain is not in his throat and there is no pain in the chest area when coughing. He had a temperature over the weekend but not now. He's very pale and tired. I don't know if the temperature and cough is linked or if this is a separate thing. I took him to the GP who prescribed him antacids which are to be taken after food. But he doesn't have the pain after eating, it is when he's eating. They haven't helped so will take him back but has anyone heard of this before?

Does he have pain when he is drinking? Is it different with hot or cold foods, sloppy versus dry foods? My first thought is to try and get him to take really small bites, chew really well and have a sip of water after every bite. If its still painful, then he may have something going on with his oesophagus that means that anything going past it causes pain. If its only in certain circumstances, then maybe its a food allergy... Also, I would take the antacids 30 mins before food, but that is just me!

The only other thing I can think of is if he has had silent reflux that has irritated his oesophagus. How does he sleep? Does he wake up in the middle of the night? Does he have a stuffy nose or frequent headaches?

Thank you so much for replying. He says drinking water is ok but I think when he has squash occasionally I think that irritates it. No difference with cold or hot food, sloppy or dry. Same amount of pain. Have tried giving antacids before but will do it further in advance. Also tried small bites and no improvement. No stuffy nose or headaches although had one over the weekend with the temperatire. He sleeps through the night and doesn't wake (apart from when the baby wakes him!) I wondered about silent reflux too but at age 6, is that a possibility. Thanks again

SIlent reflux is possible at any age, my DS had it at 13 and we didnt find out until he had damage to his oesophagus.

Is his neck swollen at all? Watch him swallowing when you are standing at adams apple level looking at him, does it seem normal or swollen? Did the GP feel his neck and throat area?

Could he have pulled a muscle in his chest? If he has a warm bath up to his neck and then eats something, is it any better?

The only other thing (and this is a really long shot) is it might be cardiac, heart pain often feels like swallowing pain. If you want to spend 100 pounds to test this theory, let me know as there is a phone accessory you can buy that does a very reliable ECG, but this one is a really long shot.

I think you need to go back to the GP and say antacids arent working and that drinking is also painful. Maybe he needs a referral to paeds gastro specialist

Just make sure that he keeps drinking and eating what he can until you can get it resolved.

Which antacid did they give you? Maybe go back and ask for a daily one like omeprazole or ranitadine amd try taking it daily as a preventative? If its something like peptac liquid maybe try giving it before meals?