Growing Pains in Children
May 12, 2011 by Foot Health
Filed under Foot Problems
Growing pains in children are common and can be quite distressing as they wake the child up at night. The symptoms of growing pains in children is usually behind the knee and the upper part of the calf muscles. Growing pains do not affect the joints or the bone. If the pain is in these areas, then it is not growing pains and is potentially something more serious. The cause of growing pains in children is thought to be a combination of biochemical changes related to fatigue. If growing pains wake the child, the best treatment is reassurance and gentle massage. Sometimes stretching before bed time can help growing pains. In the most severe cases anti-inflammatory drugs can help some. The child will always grow out of this and there are no long term consequences. The significance of growing pains in children is that similar symptoms can be caused by some potentially serious conditions on rare occasions.