Leg pains are a common complaint for children at bedtime. This type of leg discomfort is referred to as growing pains, and it's rarely a cause for concern. The symptom is usually gone by morning. Consult with your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Identification
Growing pains typically occur in the late afternoon or evening. Sometimes these leg pains are severe enough to wake up your child at night. The pain is sharp and throbbing but is not tender to touch. There are two periods when growing pains are most common, which is between 3 and 5 years and also between 8 and 12 years. Growing pains most commonly occur on the front of the thigh and behind the knees and calves.
Cause
Regardless of the name, there is no proof that growing causes these leg pains in children. Increased physical activity during the day is likely to cause the leg pain your child experiences. If your child starts a new sport or has done more walking or running than usual, this is probably the cause of the leg pains. Delayed onset muscle soreness occurs when you perform more vigorous activity than your muscles are accustomed to and then pain occurs within 24 hours. Microscopic tears of the muscle are thought to cause delayed onset muscle soreness.
Treatment
Growing pains and delayed onset muscle soreness are not serious conditions and do not require treatment. These occurrences are painful for your child, so making your child comfortable is done by massaging the location of the leg where pain is present. Over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen offers relief from leg pains. Do not use aspirin for children because aspirin puts children at risk for Reye's syndrome, which is potentially fatal. Stretching the muscle eases pain, but do not overstretch the muscle since this can strain the muscle. A heating pad or soaking in a warm bath is soothing for leg pains.
Considerations
If your child's leg pains are consistent, swollen, tender to touch or your child has a fever, these are not the symptoms of growing pains. These symptoms indicate an underlying medical condition. Juvenile arthritis or lyme disease can cause joint pain and stiffness. Arthritis causes joint pain and stiffness. It's unknown why some children get juvenile arthritis. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection passed to humans by a deer tick. The leg pain will be accompanied by a bulls-eye rash at the site of the tick bite. Your child can also develop flu-like symptoms and facial paralysis.
