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Growing Pains

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 exists to show 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 children do during the day. The pains can occur after a child has had a particularly athletic day.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?

Growing pains always concentrate in the history and physical examination by your child's 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.

How Can You Help 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 fever
• limping
• unusual rashes
• loss of appetite
• weakness
• tiredness
• uncharacteristic behavior

These signs are not due to growing pains and should be evaluated by a child's 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 children grow up can help them relax.

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