| Pain is part of a growing-up process for up to forty | | | | ibuprofen and other pain relieving drugs that can be |
| percent of all children aged three to eight years old. | | | | bought over the counter can provide immediate relief. |
| Why and how it comes about is something no one is | | | | Parents or guardians must not administer aspirin, as |
| very sure of. The pain vanishes when a child stops to | | | | this drug has been known to induce a serious |
| grow or reaches adolescent stage. | | | | sickness called Reye Syndrome. Apart from |
| Children experience growing pains in some parts of | | | | medication, heating pads placed over the hurting leg |
| the legs, normally around the calves, behind knees | | | | part can help alleviate the pain. Massage and |
| and front area of thighs. The pain usually attacks | | | | stretching exercises are also helpful. |
| before and during sleep. A child may go to bed | | | | Parents need to remember that growing pains are |
| without it, only to be roused at midnight by aching | | | | normally not intense enough to keep the afflicted |
| legs. Fortunately to his or her relief, the pain just | | | | child from his or her routine of running, walking or |
| disappears the next morning. | | | | playing. They therefore should take a careful look at |
| Muscles, and not the areas surrounding joints or | | | | the child and examine the extent of the pain the |
| bones, are affected by growing pains. Some people | | | | moment he or she shows beyond than normal signs |
| say that too much physical daytime activity by | | | | of affliction. Doctor's help becomes compulsory when |
| children causes growing pains. With all the running, | | | | the child develops swelling, redness, fever, |
| jumping and climbing that children are wont to do, | | | | tenderness, or is manifesting difficulty in movement |
| their muscles are likely to get tired and sore sooner | | | | like limping when he or she walks. |
| or later. | | | | Physicians carefully analyze the ailment to determine |
| Efforts to link growing pains to bone growth among | | | | if the symptoms are those of growing pains alone or |
| children have drawn little support from evidence. | | | | something else. They conduct physical examination |
| What the theory says is that spurts of bone growth | | | | and review the child's medical records. In more dire |
| may also give rise to growing pains. Muscles and | | | | cases, the child may be subjected to further tests |
| tendons are tight and growing at a rate separate | | | | like X-ray and blood examination to determine with |
| from the rate bones are growing. The resulting | | | | finality if the ailment is associated solely with growing |
| discord induces muscle spasms that normally last for | | | | pain or not. |
| up to fifteen minutes. | | | | Children can help themselves minimize, if not prevent, |
| In any case what seems certain is that the afflicted | | | | growing pains through proper and regular muscle |
| child usually experiences the pain not only in one but | | | | stretching. There is no need for them to go through |
| in both legs. The pain is also not accompanied by | | | | complex or elaborate exercise routine. What is |
| redness or swelling over the affected body parts or | | | | important is carrying it on. Even when the pain |
| by fever. And if it does not vanish by the time the | | | | disappears, the child needs to keep the muscles and |
| child awakens in the morning, there is possibility that | | | | tendons relaxed and in harmony with sudden bone |
| the pain might be associated with another and more | | | | growth. Taking in sufficient amounts of fluids like |
| serious ailment. | | | | quinine and tonic water also reduces risks of muscle |
| Children who find the pain too hard too bear need | | | | cramps. Children with parental help would do well to |
| help from their parents or guardians. Acetaminophen, | | | | drink them before they go to sleep. |