What should I do if my baby has pigeon chest?

Pectus carinatum, commonly known as “pigeon chest,” is a frequent thoracic deformity generally attributed to excessive growth of the ribs and costal cartilages. The sternal deformity is typically secondary to rib abnormalities but may also arise from intrathoracic diseases. So, what should parents do if their infant or child develops pectus carinatum? Below, we provide answers to this question.

Management of Pectus Carinatum in Infants and Children

Children with pectus carinatum often remain undiagnosed until age 5–6, especially when symptoms are mild and thus easily overlooked. For mild cases, non-surgical correction is usually recommended. A common approach involves external thoracic compression devices—for example, wearing a custom-fitted orthopedic brace—to alleviate or correct the deformity. This method proves highly effective for early intervention in children with pectus carinatum. In severe cases, surgical correction is generally required. The two primary surgical techniques are sternal turnover (also called the Ravitch procedure) and sternal depression (also known as the modified Ravitch or Abramson procedure). However, these surgeries involve considerable trauma, so strict adherence to surgical indications is essential. Since this condition commonly affects children, parents should pay close attention to their child’s overall health and physical development to help prevent its occurrence.

Additional Information: Complications and Risks Associated with Pectus Carinatum

1. In patients with pectus carinatum, the sternum and ribs protrude forward, increasing the anteroposterior diameter of the thorax while reducing thoracic volume. This impairs pulmonary development, gradually diminishing lung elasticity, decreasing respiratory excursion, and reducing exercise tolerance.

2. Severe pectus carinatum can compress intrathoracic organs—including the heart and lungs—to varying degrees. It may even cause cardiac displacement and impair pulmonary ventilation. If left untreated, it may predispose affected individuals to serious complications such as recurrent respiratory tract infections.

3. Children with pectus carinatum frequently present with additional skeletal abnormalities, such as craniotabes (square skull), genu valgum (“X-shaped legs”), or genu varum (“O-shaped legs”). Like pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum not only causes physical impairment but also imposes significant psychological burden on affected individuals.

The above outlines management strategies for pectus carinatum in infants and children. We hope this information is helpful to you.