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Growing Pains


About this topic


The aches and pains that children often feel in the legs are growing pains. Children mostly complain of this pain in the late afternoon and night. It is a common condition and your child will likely outgrow it within a few years. ‚  
Your child should not have problems walking or running because of growing pains. They should not cause your child to limp. Your child should not feel sick or have a fever or swelling with growing pains. Any of these signs may mean there is a more serious health problem causing your childs pain. ‚  

What are the causes?


Doctors do not know what causes growing pains. These things may make the pain worse: ‚  
  • Muscular tiredness ¢ ˆ ’ Your child may have done a lot of running, jumping, and climbing during the day.
  • Poor posture ¢ ˆ ’ Poor standing or sitting position for a long period of time may cause muscle strain.
  • Emotional upset ¢ ˆ ’ Doctors believe that low mood or stress may trigger pain in the body.

What can make this more likely to happen?


  • Being a girl
  • Age 3 to 12 years
  • Very active playing during the daytime

What are the main signs?


  • The pain may be mild or intense. Most children talk of having cramp-like pain in their upper or lower legs or behind the knee.
  • Pain comes late in the day. It may also wake your child up at night.
  • Moving the legs does not ease the pain or makes it worse. Pain responds well to rubbing, massaging, and cuddling.

How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?


Your childs doctor will ask about your child's history and do an exam. The doctor will want to know when your child started feeling the pain. The doctor may feel your child's feet and leg muscles to check for pain, numbness, or muscle weakness. ‚  
Most often, there are no tests needed to diagnose this condition. The doctor may order some tests to rule out other health problems that may cause the pain. These include: ‚  
  • Blood tests
  • X-rays
  • Neurological tests

How does the doctor treat this health problem?


There is no exact treatment for growing pains. You may help ease your childs pain through massage and heat. ‚  
  • Before going to sleep, gently massage your child's legs to relax the muscles.
  • If the doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your child's legs for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never let your child go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.

What drugs may be needed?


  • The doctor may give your child drugs to help with pain. Give the drugs as ordered by the doctor.
  • Avoid giving your child drugs that contain aspirin due to the risk of a serious health problem called Reyes syndrome.

Where can I learn more?


Better Health Channel ‚  
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Growing_pains ‚  
KidsHealth ‚  
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/growing_pains.html ‚  
NHS Choices ‚  
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/growing-pains/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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