“It is important to take the child to a specialist, either a pediatrician or an orthopedist, in order to rule out other types of pathologies such as osteochondritis, neoplasms, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, muscle cramps, among others, in an appropriate and early manner”, says Dr. Raúl Gutiérrez, traumatologist at our clinic.

What are so-called growing pains?

It has been called growing pain because it begins in childhood and disappears when growth stops. They also call it benign recurrent bone pain.

What are their causes?

Their causes are unknown; however, three theories are usually considered:

• Due to anatomical factors. Cause with which our specialist agrees, due to what was repeatedly observed in several medical consultations. Here stand out the postural or orthopedic defects that alter the muscular balance producing fatigue or muscular tension.
• Due to fatigue and psychological factors

What are their symptoms?

Children may have intermittent pain, usually at night, before going to bed or waking them up when they have already fallen asleep. Usually, the next day the child is pain free. The pain usually lasts between 10 to 30 minutes and affects the legs or thighs, never the joints.

How are growing pains usually treated?

Initially, treatment is usually based on the use of analgesics and/or NSAIDs. Muscle stretching is considered the first line of treatment.

General recommendations of the specialist

• Seek specialized help, because the most important thing is to identify and treat the cause of the pain, otherwise everything that is done or taken (analgesics and/or NSAIDs) will only be palliative.
• A good preparation of the minor’s clinical history is essential, because many times, due to considering the recurrent pain of the infant as discomfort or pain associated with growth, diagnoses of organic diseases have been overlooked, some with varying degrees of severity.

Dr. Raúl Gutiérrez
Traumatologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma