John Grootemont
Clubbing of the fingers is also associated with pulmonary fibrosis or lung diseases. I have Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (scarring and abnormal lung tissue / shortness of breath) and clubbing is one indication of this disease at a later stage. It is odd that the doctor mentioned a heart problem, as the fibrosis spreads in the lungs, it reduces the flow of oxygen to the blood stream / therefore the heart needs to work harder pumping blood / oxygen throughout the body. In my case, shortness of breath occured when I was 45 years old. At the present time I have only 58% retention rate. I am not familiar with children and shortness of breath vs age. A visit to a pulmonologist might better be able to determine if this clubbing is due to a lung problem, which again affects the heart. That is all I know about clubbing because it affects me and my condition. Good luck with your son and his problem.