If one or both of your child's upper thighs seem to be feeling weak, you might want to get him into a doctor for a checkup. Your child's muscular weakness might be nothing to worry about, such as common growing pains or the result of an injury. But there is a chance that leg weakness in children could be a sign of a serious illness, including muscular dystrophy. See a doctor to determine what is causing your child's upper thighs to feel weak.
Symptoms
Your child might complain about one or both of his legs not working properly when he is experiencing muscle weakness in his thighs. He might tire easily when walking or running, or he might feel less steady on his legs than usual. He might even stumble or fall on occasion. He might also experience pain, numbness or tingling in his thigh muscles as a sign that his upper legs are suffering from weakness.
Potential Harmless Causes
If your child recently has had an injury or illness, weakness in his upper thigh muscles might be a sign that his body is still recovering. Growing pains can also cause discomfort, often in the front of the thighs, according to the KidsHealth website. Even if you think your child's leg weakness isn't a cause for concern, talking to a doctor can rule out serious problem and let you know if your child's condition will resolve itself on its own.
More Serious Causes
Because muscular weakness can be a sign of muscular dystrophy, take your child into his doctor for testing if he is experiencing weakness in his upper leg muscles. Typically, children with muscular dystrophy begin to experience symptoms when they are younger than 5 years old. Muscular dystrophy most often affects the shoulder, hip, thigh and pelvic muscles. If you think your child might have muscular dystrophy, it's important to get him tested right away so he can begin treatment.
How to Help
If your child's doctor has ruled out illness, you might be able to help your child build and strengthen his leg muscles. Small children can build their leg muscles by playing on a jungle gym. You could also enroll your child in a gymnastics class to help build his leg muscles. Organized sports that involve running, such as soccer, can be beneficial to a little one's leg muscles. Your child can also try fun activities such as jumping rope or swimming to help strengthen his legs.
