Growth pains irregularly appear at night in children aged 3 to 5. But are they really due to growing up? And how to relieve them? The point with Dr. Sylvie Hubinois, pediatrician.
Does your child wakes up from time to time at night and cries because “does he have leg pain”? He probably suffers from what is called “growth pain”. They correspond to lower limbs – Often at the knees, calves or in front of the shins, more than in the thighs – which occur for a few weeks, intermittently and “by crisis”. As with aches, they are felt at night, when the child’s body relaxes. From what age can they appear? What are it due to? How to relieve them and when should you worry? Dr. Sylvie Hubinois, pediatrician and president of AFPA (French association of ambulatory pediatrics).
“”Growth pain mainly concerns some children aged 3 to 8, who move a lot“, immediately poses Sylvie Hubinois.”After playing, run or did physical exercise all day, the child may feel pain, more or less intense, during the night and cry“But then, is it really because the child grows? “Growing cannot hurt”reassures the pediatrician. If there is no scientific data to date to the subjects of “growth pain”, a hypothesis could explain the appearance of these pains. “”In some children who move a lot, the bone would grow a little faster than the muscles and tendons which are then under tension“explains the expert.” Growth pain “would therefore be due to”a growth differential between bone, muscles and tendons“, but would therefore not be directly linked to growth. Otherwise, they would arise during rapid growth, namely before the age of 3 and adolescence. And while they are often observed at night after an active day or in dynamic children,”Growth pain is probably related to muscle fatigue“, Specifies Dr. Hubinois.
Massaging the knees or calves of the child using an analgesic or heating cream, for example, may be enough to calm the pain and the child can go back to sleep. “”If the pains do not pass, you can give it an analgesic of paracetamol type“, Advises the pediatrician. Homeopathy can also mitigate pain: in this case, always ask for the advice of a doctor or homeopath who can inform you about the formula and the dosage to be taken.
“Monitor your child’s symptoms. Sometimes additional examinations are necessary”
You should know that “growth pains” are not chronic pain: they occur for some time by “crisis” and disappear. So, “If the pains are not isolated, do not occur only at night, are repeated or accompanied by other symptoms such as lodging, being tired or having a fever, it is absolutely necessary to consult“, Recommends Dr. Hubinois.”The doctor or pediatrician will then carry out a complete clinical examination to eliminate other diagnoses requiring specific treatment and care. That is to say that he will check all the muscles and all the joints in order to dismiss or not the track of an organic pathology underlying“. Indeed, certain diseases can cause leg pain repeatedly. Hip pain can, for example, have repercussions on the knees: the child then expresses pain in the knees, while clinical examination reveals pain in the hip.
For example, pain in the lower limbs could be signs of a more serious illness: in this case, these pains are in good standing and continuous (including day). Furthermore, if the child experiences pain that prevents him from walking or gets it to be limited, it can be for example, an inflammatory rheumatism or even an osteo-articular infection, even a more severe pathology (there will then be other signs of the fatigue, pallor …). And in these cases, in -depth radiological, biological or even MRI or scintigraphy examinations, may be necessary. Finally, this can be the manifestation of a trauma (responsible for a fracture or a sprain …) which has hitherto gone unnoticed: “In this case, the pain is more continuous and occur by walking for example, during the day“, Specifies the expert. In short, “growth pains” are not worryingbut you have to be wary if they persist and occur repeatedly, during the day too and not only at night and if they become chronic. It is therefore important to talk to your doctor about it. Likewise, “If pain in the lower limbs appear before the age of 3 and after 8 years, it is better to consult“Concludes the specialist.
