Growing Pains

Growing pains can cause children to wake up from their sleep complaining of pain in their legs and sometimes arms.  

It is very common in children, especially children of primary school age. 

The pain is usually an aching or burning sensation in the legs and occasionally arms. Most commonly the pain is felt in the child’s thighs, calf muscles, shins or knees. 

Sometimes children diagnosed with growing pains may have hypermobility, muscle tightness, poor posture or arthritis. 

Growing pains are painful but harmless. However pain in your child’s joints can also be a sign of other conditions.  If the pain is in conjunction with any of the following, then further investigation may be required: 

• an injury such as a fall
• fever
• loss of appetite
• limping or difficulty walking
• pain in one leg
• rash
• red, warm, painful, swollen joints
• tiredness
• weakness
• weight loss