Growing Pains

What are growing pains?

Growing pains are a common type of leg pain that affects children between the ages of 3 and 12. Despite the name, they're not actually caused by your child growing. They're completely harmless and will get better on their own over time.

The pain usually affects both legs and comes and goes over months or even years. It's one of those childhood things that many children experience, and it's nothing to worry about in most cases.

What do growing pains feel like?

Growing pains have some very specific features that help parents recognise them:

• Both legs hurt - not just one leg
• The pain is in the muscles - not in the joints like knees or ankles
• Evening and night-time pain - your child might complain of sore legs at bedtime or wake up during the night
• Morning relief - the pain goes away by morning and your child can walk and play normally
• Aching or throbbing feeling - children often describe it as a deep ache in their legs

What causes growing pains?

Doctors don't know exactly what causes growing pains, but we do know:

• They're not caused by actually growing
• They're not a sign of anything serious
• They're more common in very active children who play lots of sport
• Children with very flexible joints (called joint hypermobility syndrome) get them more often

How to help your child feel better

There are several simple things you can do at home to ease your child's discomfort:

Do try these:

• Gently massage your child's legs where they hurt
• Use a covered hot water bottle or heat pack on the painful area
• Give children's paracetamol or ibuprofen following the packet instructions

Important - never give aspirin to children under 16 unless a doctor has specifically prescribed it.

When to speak to your GP

While growing pains are usually harmless, you should speak to your GP if your child has:

• Pain in just one leg (not both)
• Leg pain in the morning or when walking and playing
• Pain that's bad enough to stop them walking or makes them limp
• Pain in their joints (like knees or ankles) rather than muscles
• A rash, swelling or unusual bruising on their legs
• Leg pain with a high temperature
• Been feeling unusually tired or sleepy a lot of the time
• Lost their appetite or is losing weight

These symptoms might suggest something other than growing pains, so it's important to get them checked.

The bottom line

Growing pains are very common and completely harmless. They can be uncomfortable for your child, but simple treatments at home usually help. The pain will eventually stop on its own as your child gets older.

Remember, if you're ever worried about your child's symptoms or they don't match the typical pattern of growing pains described above, don't hesitate to speak to your GP for advice.

---

Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.