[AllisonR]

Anyone have a DC that is growing so fast it literally hurts? 4 yo DS complains about his legs hurting when he is going to sleep. Now I must say he has the pain threshold of Zeus, which he gets from DH. (Really, DH would have to have his arm sawed off to say Ouch, maybe I better go to the hospital.) So if my DS says it hurts, it must really hurt!

Does your DC have this problem? When did it start, and how long does it last? Months, years...? My friends DS had it for several years, where he would wake up moaning. Do/did you give any medication or remedies?

 

[DariusMom]

DS has had this since he was two!

He's now nearly six!

We've been to PT, had him examined by specialists, etc. and the ultimate conclusion was the following: 1) he has very flat feet which could have been causing some of the pain (though the pain was localized in and around his knees and upper shins, the fact that his body is "off" due to the flat feet could have caused this); 2) he is hypermobile, meaning that he over-extends himself without meaning to or being able to control it. That means that he hurts later

We've worked with the PT on his flat feet and finally decided to get arch support. These have seemed to have helped. They hyper-mobility is also something we're seeing the PT about, but there's not a whole lot to be done for young kids with it.

In the OP's dc's case, it could just be "normal" growing pains. We always give tylenol if DS wants it. Otherwise, we do light massage and sometimes put a heating pad or warmed up cloth/towel on the places that are hurting.

It's really horrible, though, to have your child in pain and not be able to do much about it.

 

[Patrick's mummy]

Yes, my DS1 has had this for quite a few years now. He's 5.5 yo.

At one time I gave him a vitamin supplement which I told him was a tablet to stop his legs hurting, to see whether a placebo effect might do any good. It didn't!
I took him to the doctor once and he said it was okay, nothing unusual about my particular DS unless he was to start restricting his own movement/activity level during the day as a result, in which case I should have him seen again.

I occasionally give the UK equivalent of tylenol, mostly I just rub them a lot when it happens.

 

[boatbaby]

My DS has had them for about a year now. We rub his legs and if he's really howling and unable to sleep we give him a little motrin. Usually leg massage and some nursing help at least take his mind off of it.

My brother reports he had them for years and years...

 

[ewe+lamb]

Oh my goodness, I was just going to post about growing pains - how bizarre - anyway dd has really bad growing pains to the point where she's crying before she sleeps, and screams out during the night in her sleep the pain is in her shins too, pain relief doesn't help I sometimes massage in some 100% pure Shea butter which seems to help a little, not sure if it's the massage or the butter but I'll keep going - I'd be interested in any other suggestions to relieve the pain, it's almost unbearable for her - although her pain threshold is lower than the OP's son, she certainly does't cry for nothing. I forgot to say that she's 6.5 but has been having the pains for at lest 3 years and it just seems to be getting worse.

 

[annethcz]

My kids have had this happen. It has lasted for years, buti it's not constant. It'll happen for a few nights in a row, and then not again for a few months. I remember the same thing happening to me when I was a kid.

I just comfort my kids, rub their legs, and get them a hot rice bag to hold on the leg. Honestly, I remember when I was a kid, the biggest comfort was my mom just being there with me.

 

[ledzepplon]

Try legwarmers and a multivitamin with calcium and magnesium. We do Motrin if it's really bad.

 

[greenmama]

potassium and magnesium can be a big help with night leg cramps. I found having a little glass of emergen-C in the afternoon for the minerals a big help when Lily was having cramps, I seem to remember Alesandra had them at that age also but I don't remember clearly. When Lily has them I massage the muscles as she falls back to sleep. Also if you can play some good stretches into his day that can help. I needed physical therapy as a young teen due to how fast I grew (like 3 inches in one summer) The stretches they gave me made all the difference in the world.

 

[punchy]

Also a great remedy is either arnica gel or traumeel gel (the gels work more quickly). Warm the gel up in your hands before applying it so the shock of cold doesn't put them off. Hylands Homeopathic company makes a restless legs composition which dd finds helpful, too. Heating pads and leg massages were my comfort as a kid and I got really bad pains.

 

[lifeguard]

I had them as a kid until I reached my adult height (about 12). Nothing got rid of the pain but massage, heat & comfort helped.

 

[Surfacing]

Yep my dd1 has growing pains behind her knees and sometimes her elbows. I draw an epsom salt bath for her at those times or give her a nice massage. That helps. Plus hugs. And candy.

 

[AllisonK]

DD had them starting around 4 and is now 7. Does not happen much anymore but occasionally. A heat pack worked really well for her, massage also helped, and there was some homepathic that said for growing pains. Hylands something, oh I can't remember. I don't know if it helped or not but it was so bad we were trying anything we could think of.

Hope it passes quickly for your little one!

 

[oceanbaby]

Yep, my 7.5yo gets growing pains in his legs, has for a couple of years now. It's worst in what he calls his "kneepit." We end up massaging it when he wakes up crying in the middle of the night. I sometimes give him arnica, which seems to help.

My 4yo has only complained of it a few times, but it may be in store for him too.

 

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

My dd never did this but ds did about 4 times in a month this past year, he was 3 just turned 4. It happened during a months time and before or after that so far he hasnt hurt any or not enough to complain about.

 

[Cutie Patootie]

Both of my kids have "growing pains" and both started at about age 3. Dd is 3.5yo now, and ds is 5.5yo. It happens on and off, maybe once or twice a month. They get them in their lower calves and in the muscles right above their feet. Rubbing, pressure and warmth is all that helps. Rubbing, rubbing and more rubbing until you pass out and stop and then start all over again when you hear, "momma, keep doing that" from your 3yo.

Dh and I both had them severely when we were little and up to about age 12 or 13. I remember my mom wrapping my legs tightly in towels.
These are the only times I regret getting rid of our microwave. The only thing microwaves are good for, imho, is for warming socks and towels.

 

[Ak Mom]

My son was having a lot of what I thought was growing pains, until we realized they were leg cramps. Ensuring adequate water intake does the trick for us.

 

[mamadebug]

My son had them off and on for about a year when he was three. He would often wake up crying, complaining of leg pain. We did take him to the doctor, and after a round of tests, he said it was growing pains. We suspected it was, but wanted to be sure. I got some homeopathic medicine that has really helped. I can't remember what it was called, but I got it at Whole Foods and it is by Bioron and in a little blue tube. They usually have a book there so you can look up which remedy is needed. Also, a really firm massage on his leg often helped.

 

[MoonStarFalling]

DS has had this a few times. More when he was 3 and 4 years old. If he complained of pain I gave him a liquid calcium magnesium citrate supplement and that seemed to help.