Does your little one wake you up in the middle of the night complaining of leg pain? It could be growing pains. It’s estimated that between 25% and 40% of children aged between 4 and 8 suffer from them. The human body undergoes major transformations during childhood. Parents, keep a close eye on these changes.
GROWING PAINS: WHAT ARE THEY?
Although the term “growing pains” is widely used, we still know very little about the phenomenon. Some suggest that girls are more prone to growing pains than boys. However, research on the subject does not prove this beyond doubt.
The fact remains that, when they do occur, certain constants are observed. Firstly, they generally occur in the evening and during the night, and disappear most of the time in the morning. They also affect both legs, intermittently, and usually last around twenty minutes. So it’s important not to dismiss your child’s complaints as whims: in all likelihood, the pain is real.
Growing pains are not related to growth per se. Between the ages of 4 and 8, the growth period is very slow. Growth, by definition, occurs more during adolescence than during childhood. As a result, teenagers too often suffer from pain associated with imbalances in muscular development and rapid skeletal growth. During this period of growth, the chiropractor will pay particular attention to detecting postural defects. As early as possible, he or she will be able to detect and correct certain problems that could have consequences for your child’s future. These include scoliosis and Osgood-Schlatter disease, which affects the knees.
SOLUTIONS
In most cases, this is a benign condition that can be relieved by massage or the application of heat. The use of analgesics is rarely necessary, as symptoms last for about twenty minutes before the medication takes effect.
However, if the pain is recurrent, occurs every night and no method can relieve it, you may need to take a more serious look at the problem.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Is the pain persistent? Does it continue during the day? Is it associated with an injury? Does your child have symptoms of fever? Is there redness or swelling on the skin? Does he complain of pain in a particular joint? Have you noticed a limp in his or her gait, or a refusal to walk? Does he show signs of abnormal weakness or fatigue?
If you answer “yes” to one or more of these questions, a healthcare professional can certainly help you solve the problem. Following a thorough examination, he or she will be sure to rule out more serious illnesses, such as infection or some form of arthritis. Chiropractors are often called upon to assess and determine the appropriate treatment for such conditions. Many conditions affecting the joints of the lower back, pelvis or even legs can mimic growing pains, and will disappear with appropriate care.
Your child is growing fast: stay in tune with his body. After all, being three apples high never lasts forever!
HOW TO RELIEVE YOUR CHILD’S PAIN?
Have your child do a few stretching exercises:
Gently bend the knee to bring the heel towards the buttock;
Stretch the leg by bringing the foot up. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then repeat with foot pointing down. If you feel pain, stop the maneuver.
Massage the painful area;
Apply heat to the affected area.
Sources:
1. Growing pains in children:
Yosef Uziel1 and Philip J Hashkes2
1 Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Rheumatology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
2 Section of Pediatric Rheumatology, Dept. of Rheumatic Diseases, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland OH, USA.
Pediatric Rheumatology 2007, 5:5doi:10.1186/1546-0096-5-5
2. http://www.canadian-health.ca/1_1/26_f.html
