What makes growing pains

Not all children have growing pains. However, if your child does have them, the pain may come and go with many days in between without pain.

Children with severe cases may feel pain every day. They do know that children who have growing pains may feel more pain after physical activity than other children feel. Also, some children who have growing pains may have weaker bones than their peers. There is no test to diagnose growing pains. Instead, your doctor may ask you questions about when and where your child has pain. Your doctor may also ask what your child did the day the pain started.

Did your child spend part of the day playing sports, running, or jumping? A lot of physical activity during the day may cause growing pains to happen that night. Your answers to these questions may help your doctor diagnose your child with growing pains. You may be able to help your child feel better when he or she has growing pains.

Your doctor may suggest you do one or more of the following:. Growing pains may cause your child to be tired during the day. National Center for Biotechnology Information, U. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. Learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a joint condition that affects teens and…. But for some kids, growing up comes with something called growing pains. Growing pains aren't a disease. You probably won't have to go to the doctor for them. But they can hurt. Usually they start when kids are between the ages of 3 and Doctors don't believe that growing actually causes pain, but growing pains do stop when kids stop growing.

By the teen years, most kids don't get growing pains anymore. Kids get growing pains in their legs. Most of the time they hurt in the front of the thighs the upper part of your legs , in the calves the back part of your legs below your knees , or shins the front part of your legs below your knees , or behind the knees.

Parents often report that they can predict when the pain will occur, often on days of increased physical activity or when the child is tired and grumpy. One study found that children with these pains have less bone strength than the normal population.

Diagnosing growing pains is a matter of ruling out other conditions and there is no specific treatment. A warm bath or warm heat pack, gentle stretching and massages can relieve the soreness and, at the same time, increase flexibility.

Heel lifts and arch supports are short-term tools that may also provide adequate relief from pain. Medication such as ibuprofen may also be helpful, just be sure not to give children aspirin.

If growing pains often wake your child, try a longer-lasting pain reliever, such as naproxen. When a child experiences pain in the limbs, this may not always be symptoms of growing pain. Parents should take notice of indicators that their children may not be well. For instance, any swelling of the joints needs medical attention. The same goes for excessive heat, pain in just one of the legs, redness, excessive pain in the back or arms, loss of appetite, weight loss or fever.

A child who has severe and repetitive growing pains will need medical attention as well.