Almost 3 year old scream at night with foot pain?

[GeeDee]

So for the last couple months my son who is almost 3 has been crying at night that his foot hurts. Its almost always the same foot. It doesn't happen every night and sometimes it goes away for a week and then comes back.

We've tried different shoes... that didn't seem to make much difference. We talked to doctor and he said we could go to foot doctor but it just doesn't seem to be very consistent to lead me to believe its something really wrong??? He is perfectly normal though.... goes to nursery school M - F and runs and jumps just fine... very active boy.

Anyway has anyone else experienced this with their toddler? I've been giving him toddler pain reliever when he complains lately.

Thanks

[JBaxter]

Yes my older 2 esp would get feet and leg pain. We called them growing pains and were ususally about the time of a big growth spurt. Warm wash cloths and motrin really helped.

[possum]

Could it be cramps? You could try Epsom salts baths to get him magnesium.
Melinda

[kdtmom2be]

I agree, my first thought was cramps too. Next time ask him to flex his foot up and down and see if it makes it better or worse. (If it is a cramp, pointing his toes will probably make the pain worse, but stretching them up towards his knees should make it better.) Try massage on the feet before bed to try to keep it from happening but the PP is right, foot cramps are usually caused by a Magnesium and/or Calcium deficiency or imbalance. Feed him a half a banana or potato a day for the next little while and see if that helps.

[tanyam926]

I experienced the same foot pain as a child and my ds1 started getting them at just under a yr old.

Epsom salt baths really helped. We did this every night, esp when he had been playing hard during the day. A cal/mag supplement could help too.

I noticed that during an attack it would help if I put his foot into a bowl of warm water w/epsom salt in it. W/in minutes it would take the pain away.

[Jackies Ladybug]

i agree that it sounds like cramps, i use damp heat (slightly damp rice packs) to resolve it for myself, my DD and my husband who gets crazy horrible charley horses from being raised on a very poor diet.
it could be cal/mag deficiency or it could just be growing pains. if regular warm water doesnt help, but epsom salt soaks do, its probably an imbalance or deficiency.

[nerdymom]

Poor thing, if he is having leg cramps. I had them as a child and still do, though far less frequently. Along with the other very helpful suggestions, I recommend making sure he is getting salt on his food. It could be caused by an electrolyte imbalance (that was my problem during pregnancy), in which case you could make sure he's getting salt in his food and offer him a glass of coconut water (not milk, water like this: http://www.vitacoco.com/). That helped me immensely during my pregnancy. I was waking every night with terrible leg and foot cramps and my MWs recommended the above. Also not drinking as much straight water, drinking watered down juice instead.

[rosinthebow]

my guy too

My 2year10month old has been experiencing the same thing for at least a few months now on and off, probably closer to 6 months. It was originally just his knee, the same one, but then it became the other knee too and sometimes now his feet. I wasn't too worried for a while and we did soft of just think it was probably growing pains. We originally used an ice pack which he has come to beg for when it does happen, but a warm cloth does sound like it would be more comforting. It has happened in the middle of the day and he has also woken up in pain in the middle of the night crying. We finally decided since he seemed to be genuinely in pain that maybe the pediatrician should take a look, they said they could see nothing wrong with his knee, in there words there was nothing wrong and that he might just be doing this for attention, as you can imagine I was quite irritated with this diagnosis. I am quite sure I can tell the difference between my son acting hurt for attention and him actually crying in pain, especially waking from a deep sleep. Ridiculous. Anyway, I have started keeping a log of when and how often it happens, hasn't happened in a few weeks, probably happened 4 times last month. So, I don't have much helpful advice or answers, but I am also curious as to what this is about. Also, I find it odd that the dr. had no idea what this could be about and had never heard of it, and yet I have come across several parents online whose apprx 2 year olds experience this.