Question
A 12-year-old boy has a slight pigeon chest, and his parents are worried that as he grows older, the condition may become more severe, potentially affecting his mental health. What is the usual age for pigeon chest surgery?
Answer
In the early stages, it can be helpful to have the child lie on their stomach, raising their head twice or thrice daily, gently massaging them, and performing automatic or passive chest expansion exercises. These methods can aid in preventing the further development of pigeon chest. As the child grows older, regular chest expansion exercises and prone lying can gradually reduce the severity of the pigeon chest. However, specific recommendations should be made by a doctor after a CT scan, as they can assess when surgery would be most appropriate. Relying solely on the current situation is not sufficient to determine the appropriate time for surgery.