"Mommy, my legs huuurt!"

[amberskyfire]

I have been hearing this from my just-turned-three year old a lot in the last few weeks. She has no developmental issues and is very healthy and strong. Before I take her to the doctor just to be sure, have any of you experienced this with your kids? Is it just growing pains? Twice she has said that her back hurts, but I hear the leg thing about once every other day or so. When it happens, she will whine loudly or cry a little, but it seems to stop after a minute. I thought it was just her legs falling asleep from sitting on them, but sometimes she says it when she wakes up. She did just shoot up during this time, so DH thinks it's growth related.

[chelsmm]

My son is 3.5 and has been complaining of this for about a year now.  I thought it was just "growing pains", but then someone pointed out to me that he over pronates a LOT.  I took him to a place that makes orthotics, and he now has arch support orthotics in his sneakers.  When he wears them a lot, he's fine at night.  If he doesn't wear them, he wakes up crying that his legs or knees hurt.  Now that I know what the problem is, if I look at him standing barefoot, it's obvious.  His ankles flop in so much.  FWIW, our pedi didn't notice this, a friend of my father's did. 

[amberskyfire]

Her feet and legs actually look great to me, but I'll have the doctor take a look at them again, too.

I did already take her in once to have her legs and feet checked at one of her last appointments. She started walking very late - at about 18 months - and I took her to the pediatrician then to make sure everything was fine. He said she looked excellent and that there was no reason she shouldn't start walking soon so everything looked fine then. (FTR, she did start walking about a week later so that was a huge load off my mind.)

[ursusarctos]

When I was a kid (about 6-12 if I remember right) I would have terrible "growing pains" in the night. Nobody knew what it was but what always helped (the only thing that helped) was soaking my feet in hot water. I wasn't as young as your DD though so I don't know if it's a similar situation.

[Ttarail]

An Epsom salt bath or foot soak can relieve these symptoms. If too difficult you can order magnesium oil and dilute with a carrier oil r water and use on feet and or areas of pain. May need to avoid any open wounds. This may not get to the bottom of the cause if it is biomechanics.

[jilson41]

My daughter had a lot of growing pains in her lower legs and ankles when she was 4.  She would wake up in the middle of the night crying.  We finally took her into our pediatrician.  He calls them "use pains" and says they occur more often in active kids.  Because hers were so significant (nearly every night for a while), we decided to work her up for Lyme disease and leukemia, which involved a blood draw.  Traumatic for her, but it put our minds at ease.  

My daughter responded well to guided relaxation so when she would have the pains, I would have her imagine fairies or clouds or rainbows over her bed and we'd make up some story about how they would take the pain away.  Our pediatrician said it was fine to give her tylenol or ibuprofen.

Good luck!

Jill

[DariusMom]

My DS has suffered from "growing pains" for the last six or so years. Some of the pain was and is no doubt the vague "growing pains" but he also has severely flat feet. He does much better with custom-made arch supports. Also, he is hypermobile. You might want to check out this website http://www.skillsforaction.com/?q=node/4 for more information (or just google it).

[jensgonegreen]

My son has had this for about a year now.  He is 4.  The doctor says it is nothing or growing pains.  I think it is hurting him.  It drives me nuts!  He asks me for the heating pad and I let him use it and it helps.  I hope it is growing pains and will fade with time.

[Imagining]

My son is 4 1/2 and we've had this since before he was 3.  Every month or so we'll have a night where he wakes up saying his feet hurt.  It does often seem to be when he's going through a growth spurt.  I've never noticed anything structurally different about his legs/feet, but my husband is hypermobile so that makes me wonder if it might be a factor for DS as well.  I love the guided imagery idea and the warm soaks/compresses.  

[Dr.Worm]

My dd is eleven and gets growing pains in her legs and feet sometimes.  It helps if she soaks her feet in warm water and also when I massage her feet and legs..sometimes she likes when I use lotion and sometimes she doesn't, it's up to her. 

[Greenlea]

My sister got horrible growing pains as a child around the same age.  She would wake in the middle of the night crying & my mom would just give her a warm bath and she'd go right back to sleep.  My son, now 2, I think has been getting them.  He wakes in the night whining/crying.  I just started massaging his lower legs and he falls right back to sleep.

[laila2]

What helps us is Arnica, a holistic gel made of flowers used to treat bruises, muscle pain.  My dd is 7 and started having them around 6.

[Disco Infiltrator]

I have a totally different possible idea - is what DD saying something you might complain about yourself? DS will complain about his legs or hips hurting, but it's always when he wants to be picked up and held, is tired, is feeling generally needy. These are also issues I have and I know I verbalize about the pain I have in my legs and hips, often without really realizing it. I'm just one sore and tired mama. Growing pains sound like a good possibility as well.