Growing Pains
If your child’s leg muscles don’t feel good, growing pains could be to blame.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
Growing Pains was a funny American sitcom, but for some children, growing pains are no laughing matter.
This muscular pain can affect kids from the age of three, and although we don’t know the exact cause, growing pains may continue through childhood and into early adolescence.
Growing pains are usually felt in the calf, thigh and behind the knees, and although there’s no damage being done to your child’s muscles or bones, this ailment is ouchie.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ease your little one’s growing pains, and Dr Louise Buchtmann is here to help!
Louise is a very experienced paediatric podiatrist at Barefeet Podiatry in Sydney, and she says the first thing to do is confirm that your child is actually experiencing growing pains.
There are lots of different things that can cause leg pain in children, from sports-related twinges to full-on infections, but the symptoms for growing pains are fairly obvious.
Louise explains that growing pains are muscle aches and pains that are felt in both legs, and instead of being there all the time, growing pains come and go.
The pain is usually worse at night, so it often starts in the late afternoon or evening, then disappears by morning.
Your child might have trouble sleeping if the growing pains are bad, but this ailment won’t cause a limp or affect your child’s physical activity, and Louise says that moving your child’s legs is a good way to check what kind of pain they’re experiencing.
She says, “If moving their legs does not make the pain better or worse, this shows the joint is not affected.”
If the growing pains are strong or persistent, it’s definitely worth getting a proper diagnosis, which involves ruling out all other causes of leg pain.
A medical professional will be able to tell whether your child’s leg pain is caused by something more serious, like arthritis or an infection, and if you know that it’s growing pains your kiddo is dealing with, you can ease their pain, both physically and emotionally.
Louise says, “Heat treatment, such as warm baths and heat packs, can help with growing pains – just make sure nothing too hot touches your child’s delicate skin.”
She explains that massage can also be a great treatment, and says it may help to, “Massage the painful area using ‘special oils’ which don’t necessarily ease the pain, but can help your child to feel special.”
Reassurance is also important, and Louise recommends that you, "Reassure your child that the pain will go away and their legs will feel normal by the morning.”
And although there’s the option of providing pain medication in the meantime, Louise says it is important to check with your doctor before doling this out.
It can also help to think about what may be contributing to your child’s growing pains.
Although the exact cause remains a mystery, muscle tiredness or bad posture may be linked with growing pains.
Louise says, “Standing or walking awkwardly puts a greater than usual strain on the supporting muscles of the body.”
And in her years as a paediatric podiatrist, Louise has seen that children with ‘flat feet’ (feet that roll in), or a habit of tripping as they walk, sometimes have more trouble with growing pains than children with a normal gait.
If this is your child, it’s a good idea to get your little one’s legs and posture checked by a podiatrist, because things like insoles and posture practise can help to take the pressure off those leg muscles.
In time, your child will grow out of their growing pains, but before that happens, it is important that they don’t associate growing pains with growing.
After all, there’s no truth in the idea that growing pains are caused by growing bones.
This pain is purely muscular, and although your little one may have some rough nights, their days will be brighter, and that leg pain shouldn’t get in the way of play.
