Your 8-year-old son wakes up crying in the night complaining
that his legs are throbbing. You rub them and soothe him as much as
you can, but you're uncertain about whether to give him any
medication or take him to the doctor.
Sound familiar? Your child is probably experiencing growing
pains, a normal occurrence in about 25% to 40% of children. They
generally strike during two periods: in early childhood, among 3-
to 5-year-olds, and later on, in 8- to 12-year-olds.
What Causes Them?
No firm evidence shows that the growth of bones causes pain. The
most likely causes are the aches and discomforts resulting from the
jumping, climbing, and running that active kids do during the day.
The pains can occur after a child has had a particularly athletic
day.
Signs and Symptoms
Growing pains always concentrate in the
muscles
, rather than the joints. Most kids report pains in the front of
their thighs, in the calves, or behind the knees. Whereas joints
affected by more serious diseases are swollen, red, tender, or
warm, the joints of kids experiencing growing pains appear
normal.
Although growing pains often strike in late afternoon or early
evening before bed, pain can sometimes wake a slumbering child. The
intensity of the pain varies from child to child, and most kids
don't experience the pains every day.
Diagnosing Growing Pains
One symptom that doctors find most helpful in making a diagnosis
of growing pains is how the child responds to touch while in pain.
Kids who have pain from a serious medical disease don't like to
be handled because movement tends to increase the pain. But those
with growing pains respond differently - they feel better when
they're held, massaged, and cuddled.
Growing pains are what doctors call a diagnosis of exclusion.
This means that other conditions should be ruled out before a
diagnosis of growing pains is made. A thorough
history
and physical examination by your doctor can usually accomplish
this. In rare instances, blood and X-ray studies may be required
before a final diagnosis of growing pains is made.
Helping Your Child
Some things that may help alleviate the pain include:
- massaging the area
- stretching
- placing a heating pad on the area
- giving ibuprofen or acetaminophen (
Never give aspirin to a child under 12
due to its association with
Reye syndrome
, a rare but potentially fatal disease.)
When to Call the Doctor
Alert your doctor if any of the following symptoms occur with
your child's pain:
- persistent pain, pain in the morning, or swelling or redness
in one particular area or joint
- pain associated with a particular injury
- fever
- limping
- unusual rashes
- loss of appetite
- weakness
- tiredness
- uncharacteristic behavior
These signs are
not
due to growing pains and should be evaluated by the doctor.
Although growing pains often point to no serious illness, they
can be upsetting to a child - or a parent. Because a child seems
completely cured of the aches in the morning, parents sometimes
suspect that the child faked the pains. However, this usually is
not
the case. Support and reassurance that growing pains will pass as
kids grow up can help them relax.
Reviewed by:
Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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