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Breast Symptoms in Children

Checked: 16-05-2025 by Jenny Henry Next Review: 16-05-2027

Overview

The overwhelming majority of breast symptoms in children and adolescents are benign and self-limiting.

Breast lumps in children present in both males and females and are most commonly changes associated with normal development and puberty. The prevalence of breast lumps in teenage girls is 3.2%

The following document includes guidance on assessing breast symptoms in children and when referral is indicated:

For patients aged 16 years and older please see the Adult Breast pages.

Referral

If having read the linked guidance referral is indicated patients (aged <16yo)  can be referred to either:

If there is clinical concern of a cancer diagnosis following examination then refer using the Breast - USC (2WW) pathway.



Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.