Sternal cleft is formed when both sternal plates fail to complete fusion or only partially fuse during embryonic development. According to the location and degree of cleft, it is divided into upper sternal cleft, lower sternal cleft and total sternal cleft. So, how to diagnose and identify sternal fracture? Let’s talk about it below. Diagnosis and differentiation of sternal fracture: 1. Symptoms Children often have paradoxical breathing, cyanosis, dyspnea and recurrent respiratory tract infections. In Cantrell syndrome, a central line defect in the upper abdominal wall, a pericardial defect adjacent to the diaphragm and various types of cardiac malformations can also be seen. The diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation of the child, and the diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of soft tissue fissures in the sternal region on physical examination. 3.Differential diagnosis It should be distinguished from sternal fracture, hemopneumothorax and multiple rib fractures.