A sudden increase in nighttime awakening? Frequent crying and complaints about leg pain? What you think may be your toddler's latest attempts at pushing bedtime boundaries may actually be growing pains. (Yes, these recurring aches are a real thing!)
Kids often experience growing pains at two different stages of development — between 3 and 5 years old and later between ages 8 and 12, although it's possible to have them between 5 and 8 as well. Most growing pain episodes disappear by adolescence.
While growing pains are nothing to worry about, they can be confused with more serious health problems. It's good to know what they are and what they are not — and when to call your child's pediatrician.
What are growing pains?
Growing pains are not the same as growth spurts. With growing pains, the discomfort involves the musculoskeletal system (muscles and bones), whereas growth spurts are simply periods of rapid growth
A child's legs — especially the thighs — typically start bothering her overnight. Sometimes the pain can cause middle-of-the-night wake-ups. By morning, however, the pain is gone, and your child can run, play and jump without any issues.
What causes growing pains in toddlers and children?
No one is exactly sure what causes growing pains — or why some kids are more prone to getting them.[1]
There are a few theories about what increases a child's risk for having growing pains:
- Overactivity. Some parents say their children's growing pains worsen on nights after unusually active days. Yet, growing pains differ from overuse injuries in sports, and the pain from a shin splint may be confused with growing pains. Take note of your child's prior activity level and see if you notice a pattern at home.
- Hypermobility. About 20 percent of people are double-jointed, which can affect a few joints or every joint in the body. Being double-jointed often runs in families. Even though growing pains don’t affect the joints, research shows kids who are double-jointed are more likely to have growing pains.
Symptoms of growing pains in toddlers and children
There's no test or scan that can definitively pinpoint growing pains.
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A few hallmark symptoms in your toddler and older children may include:
- Pain in your child's shins, calves, thighs or the area behind her knee
- Aches or stabbing pain in the legs that comes on in the afternoon or at night, often around bedtime or after a couple hours of sleep[2]
- Pain on both sides of the body at once, but both sides do not have to hurt every time
- Soreness is gone by the morning
- Massage, heat or pain relievers such as Tylenol/Motrin ease the discomfort
Note: Kids who only ever get pains on one side of the body probably are not having growing pains. Growing pains also do not cause a fever, chills, swelling or redness.
What do growing pains feel like for children?
A 3-year-old might describe her growing pains by saying she can't feel her legs or there are spiders in them. She may also just say her legs hurt since she's unable to describe more specifically what it feels like.
At this age, her vocabulary is still developing, and she's unable to fully articulate what's actually going on. It's important not to let your mind race at your 3-year-old's descriptions.
Know that the severity and duration of growing pains will vary from child to child. Sometimes they last a few minutes, while for some unlucky kids (and their parents), growing pains last a few hours at a time. The pain can range from mildly uncomfortable to more severe, causing plenty of tears. Children with severe cases may feel pain daily, while others may experience it every few days or even every few months.
You may also notice that your child is sleepier during the day — a side effect of growing pains that disrupt her sleep at night. Extra naps may be in order for everyone!
How to help soothe your child's growing pains
Lots of reassurance and love from you will help your child to feel confident that her growing pains won't last forever.
Here are a few steps to relieve discomfort:
- Massage the sore area. Try stretching her muscles and applying heat packs to the area that aches. (Growing pains are muscular, so a massage should feel good. If your child says it hurts when you touch it, something else may be going on.)
- Give your child a warm bath. The water play may also serve as a nice distraction for toddlers.
- Offer medicine. If the pain doesn't subside, consider over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Be sure to follow the dosing instructions carefully.
Try any or all of these to figure out what works best for your little one.
And if you notice pain tends to pop up after your child participates in certain activities — a soccer game or a day at the playground, for instance — try offering her a dose of ibuprofen or a bath before bedtime to help prevent growing pains overnight.
When to call the doctor for your child's growing pains
You should always call the pediatrician if:
- The pain is persistent. It can seem like growing pains are never-ending — and they can even happen for many days in a row. But usually, they are a once-in-awhile occurrence. If your child experiences pain every night for weeks on end or the pain lasts during the day, the doctor should see her.
- There are more symptoms than just pain. If your child's aches come with swelling (especially swelling that doesn't decrease or gets worse after 24 hours), lumps in the muscles, reddening or warmth of the skin over the muscle or joint, a fever, dark urine or swelling, you should call.
- The pain is coming from only one spot — like a hip, thigh or knee. Your doctor will need to rule out other causes such as a fracture or an infection.
- The pain causes your child to limp. If so, your child may need an X-ray to see if anything is broken.
- The pain does not improve with massage, heat or pain relievers. If these at-home remedies don't help things, it's time to call the doc.
Bottom line? If your child's pain is only happening at night, happens on both sides and isn't visible to the naked eye, it's probably growing pains.
Can you prevent growing pains?
While there is no way to prevent growing pains, you can make sure your child:
- Wears appropriate footwear with good arch support. Poor posture puts greater strain on our muscles. As such, children with flat feet may feel more severe growing pains than other children.
- Drink lots of water. Dehydration can cause muscle cramping. Children should drink the number of 8-ounce cups of water equal to their age with a maximum of 64 ounces of water for children over the age of 8.[3]
- Eats a well-balanced diet. Your child's body cannot naturally produce all the vitamins and minerals she needs to function, grow and thrive. A well-balanced diet makes a world of difference and ensures she gets these vital building blocks in the foods she eats.
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