Which symptom might suggest a child has costochondritis?

Costochondritis is characterized by inflammation of the cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum, which often leads to localized chest pain. A key symptom of costochondritis is chest pain that may worsen with movement, deep breathing, or palpation of the costosternal or costochondral areas. The pain is typically sharp and can be reproducible upon physical examination.

While severe coughing, difficulty breathing, and joint swelling can indicate other medical conditions, they are not characteristic of costochondritis. Severe coughing might lead to chest discomfort but is more aligned with respiratory issues. Difficulty breathing suggests a more serious respiratory or cardiac problem, and joint swelling points to inflammatory conditions like arthritis, which do not relate to the specific symptoms of costochondritis. Thus, the indication of chest pain during movement aligns perfectly with the typical presentation of costochondritis.