Growing pains can be different for every child. There are children who experience no pain at all and there are children who have a lot of growing pains. And everything in between is also possible. Do you want to know more about growing pains, what it is and what you can do about it? Then this blog is a good starting point for you. After reading this article, you will at least know more about this phenomenon, which mainly occurs in growing children, and you will have some more tips on how to deal with it.
Update:March 2020
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Let's start with the explanation about growing pains. Growing pain - also called leg pain - occurs during the so-called growth spurt of your child. These growth spurts usually start from the third year of life and can continue until puberty † During growth spurts, there is a great stretch of muscles and tendons when they attach to the bones. Bones grow faster than muscles and this causes the stretching of muscles and tendons. The stretch is probably the cause of growing pains , but this is not completely certain. At the moment the pain occurs, there is physically nothing to see. Nothing turns red, nothing stiffens, just pain. From experience I can tell you that the pain can be enormous. The pain can come in shoots, but it can certainly feel like a continuous nagging pain.
These growing pains can do no harm and are not harmful to your health. In addition, they will go away on their own, but there are options to relieve the pain. Incidentally, there are also people who doubt the existence of growing pains, but I would like to exchange a hearty word with that myself!
The fact that the pain mainly occurs at night has to do with the fact that the growth also mainly takes place at night † Research has shown that bones grow when they are 'unloaded'. So not when we're awake and straining our bones, but when we're asleep. Unfortunately. Because that is precisely the moment when daddy often gives 'not at home' and that mom is the one who can comfort her child. In addition, it is also true that your child is much more focused on the pain at night than during the day if there are more distractions. Anyway, it is a fact that growing pains mainly occur at night.
Growing pains never last long. That's because the growth of your child happens in spurts † You don't grow evenly throughout the year. At times when your child is growing fast and is therefore in a growth spurt, the growing pains can also be strongly present if your child is sensitive to it. This usually does not last longer than two to three nights, although there are also known cases of children who suffer from pain in their legs, feet and knees for weeks as a result of a growth spurt. Growing pains also usually occur in both legs at the same time .
Is your child prone to growing pains and has he or she had an active day † Then you can often set the clock that the growing pains will set in at night. In addition, it is the case that especially boys by the time they reach puberty can get a lot of pain in their knees when playing sports. This is related to having growing pains, because here too it is the tendons and muscles that are not yet long enough and/or strong enough due to the hard growth of the bones.
Especially children who are small do not understand the whole growing pain phenomenon, a toddler will therefore probably react a bit more panicked than children who are a little older and who can explain to you well what is happening. That does not make the pain less natural, but the tolerance is a bit greater.
As mentioned, there is a lot of difference in the experience of growing pains and their severity. It is a fact that growing pains are more often found in girls than in boys. Does your child have growing pains? Read below what you can do to relieve the pain.
Growing pains can prevent your child from being able to sleep at all. In fact, the growing pains can be so severe that your child can only scream in pain. And if your child can't sleep, you can count on your sleep being broken too. It may just be that growing pains lead to sleepless nights for child and parent. But you may be able to ease the pain. Not all suggested solutions work for every child, but it is certainly worth a try if the growing pains are so severe that your child cannot sleep.
ps:This magnesium oil is also likes to be used by athletes to take care of stiff muscles and the like. That somewhat corresponds to the causes of growing pains, which is why it is not surprising that magnesium oil can work!
If your child experiences group pressure when exercising, it is smart to take it easy for a while. It is not necessary to stop exercising, but it is smart to build in more rest. Your child has to find a new balance temporarily - for as long as the growing pains continue to play up during sports. Of course, your child feels best what can and cannot be done. Don't try to push as a parent, but keep encouraging.
Growing pains can actually occur anywhere, but in practice you hear the most about growing pains in the lower legs, knees, calves and shin in children who are growing. When it comes to growing pains in adolescents, the most complaints are about growing pains in the knee (Osgood Schlatter's disease) or growing pains in the heel/heel (Sever's disease). These growing pains are also temporary, although they can last for several months to years. In fact, until the growth is over.
If your child occasionally suffers from growing pains and wants some pain relief and massage with or without magnesium oil to bring relief, then you do not have to take your child to the doctor for this pain. In extreme cases of growing pains, it is of course smart to contact your doctor. Or in the case of:
In the above cases, there may be other causes of the pain, such as juvenile rheumatism or fibromyalgia.
For me, the two are inseparable. Growing pains and coffee. My son didn't really have much of a problem with it, or at least until he hit puberty. Then the growing pains set in during exercise. His knees in particular have been very painful. But my daughter, on the other hand, has known the growing pains from a young age.
We've been through some nights due to growth spurts. A crying girl in bed, big tears because of the pain in her legs. You may recognize it yourself. Waking up from a deep sleep because your mother sensor goes off 'somewhere'. And very softly you hear that something is not right. Only when you are fully aware it turns out that the sound you hear is more intense than you initially thought. This time she only has problems with one leg, but most of the time she has problems with both legs. growing pains. If you have read this blog in its entirety, you are undoubtedly familiar with it yourself. At least one in five children suffers from it:pain in both legs, usually around the knees, calves, shins or thighs.
There are several ways you can ease the pain. Regular massage works well with us. Tonight too. With a dull head I lie next to her in bed massaging her leg until the pain slowly disappears. But sometimes it is so intense that an orange juice has to do its best. And what must, must. In any case, it is certainly a pain that should not be ignored. My girl's grief goes to the marrow and bone. No poseritis, that's for sure.
As a mom, I only have one concern. Either way, make the pain go away. And that means that I walk to the coffee machine several times the next day, with bags under my eyes… so be it. I have therefore conducted extensive research into relieving pain and hope that you can get enough tips from it that can relieve the growing pains in your child. Good luck and of course get well soon for your child.
