Question
My son has been showing signs of chest wall deformity for over a year, which has affected his respiratory system and shows symptoms of pneumonia. How should this condition be treated? What should we pay attention to in daily care? What has been the effectiveness of past treatments?
Answer
Pigeon chest, a common chest wall deformity, affects the child’s respiratory function by lowering the resistance of respiratory organs and also impacts their appearance, leading to psychological pressure on the child. For children with pigeon chest, it is important to actively treat rickets, eat foods rich in calcium, and supplement calcium and vitamin D if necessary. For patients over the age of three, who are mostly dealing with post-surgical complications, treatment with calcium and vitamin D alone is generally ineffective. Light pigeon chest often fades as the child grows, and strengthening exercises such as chest expanders, sit-ups, and chin-ups can accelerate the correction of the deformity. Severe deformities require surgical correction.