More often these are the so-called "growing pains". They happen in growing children and can last for a year or two.
Although these pains begin during growth, they do not coincide with periods of particularly rapid growth. It usually hurts not in the growth zone itself. These pains do not affect the growth of the child.
No one knows for sure why children get such pain. Sometimes everything is started by sports, sometimes the opposite happens in small and weak children.
Rumor has it that such children, in principle, have a low pain threshold. They are constantly complaining about a headache, then about something else.
In about 70% of these children, someone in the family also complained of growing pains.
All this happens between the ages of 3 and 12 years in about 15% of children.
First of all, the legs hurt. Hands can also hurt, but only after the legs.
The pain is often bilateral.
It usually hurts in the evening or at night. Often the child wakes up in pain.
Doesn't hurt during the day. During the day, the child runs and jumps.
The joints usually don't hurt.
It may not hurt every day, but at least once a week the pain appears. Well, everything continues for months or even years.
The doctor usually makes a diagnosis without any complicated examinations.
The problem is that malignant bone tumors in children behave in much the same way. So you can't do without a doctor. Take the child to the pediatrician right away and let him feel the sore spot.
Bad signs
Just in case, I will list especially suspicious signs here:
- general signs such as weight loss, fever, and lethargy
- the pain does not go away, it gets worse, it hurts only on one side;
- if it hurts during the day;
- because of pain, the child sits and does not run;
- on the leg, you can feel or notice some kind of painful bump, swelling or redness;
- only the hand hurts, or only the back, or only in the groin.
If you notice any of the listed signs, then quickly take the child to the pediatrician.
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