Growing Pains...do they really exist?

For months, Tatiana and Diego have been complaining at night that their feet hurt... and Tatiana has also been complaining her legs also hurt. Initially, we thought this was just a way to procrastinate from going to bed, because this usually seems to be when the cries would begin. We didn't just want to medicate them each night, especially if it were attention seeking... We didn't know! But medicine, ALWAYS, seemed to make it better! Well, we had a bottle of prune juice in the back of the fridge; and one night, we used prune juice as our natural remedy... Tatiana didn't complain and it even helped her feet feel better! So, is it legit? Are there really things called Growing Pains? Yes!

The following info came from: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/growing_pains.html

"Your 8-year-old son wakes up crying in the night complaining that his legs are throbbing. You rub them and soothe him as much as you can, but you're uncertain about whether to give him any medication or take him to the doctor.

Sound familiar? Your child is probably experiencing growing pains, a normal occurrence in about 25% to 40% of children. They generally strike during two periods: in early childhood, among 3- to 5-year-olds, and later on, in 8- to 12-year-olds.

What Causes Them?
No firm evidence shows that the growth of bones causes pain. The most likely causes are the aches and discomforts resulting from the jumping, climbing, and running that active kids do during the day. The pains can occur after a child has had a particularly athletic day.

Signs and Symptoms
Growing pains always concentrate in the muscles, rather than the joints. Most kids report pains in the front of their thighs, in the calves, or behind the knees. Whereas joints affected by more serious diseases are swollen, red, tender, or warm, the joints of kids experiencing growing pains appear normal.

Although growing pains often strike in late afternoon or early evening before bed, pain can sometimes wake a slumbering child. The intensity of the pain varies from child to child, and most kids don't experience the pains every day.

Helping Your Child
Some things that may help alleviate the pain include:
massaging the area
stretching
placing a heating pad on the area
giving ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 due to its association with Reye syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.)

When to Call the Doctor
Alert your doctor if any of the following symptoms occur with your child's pain:
persistent pain, pain in the morning, or swelling or redness in one particular area or joint
pain associated with a particular injury
fever
limping
unusual rashes
loss of appetite
weakness
tiredness
uncharacteristic behavior

These signs are not due to growing pains and should be evaluated by the doctor.
Although growing pains often point to no serious illness, they can be upsetting to a child — or a parent. Because a child seems completely cured of the aches in the morning, parents sometimes suspect that the child faked the pains. However, this usually is not the case. Support and reassurance that growing pains will pass as kids grow up can help them relax. (This was our case!)

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: November 2007