Chronic Leg Pains in My 6 Yr Old

When I was younger I had chronic leg pains. My mom said they were so bad I would wake her in the middle of the night crying. I also just read something the other day on this. (in the recent issue of Parenting) It said as long as there is no swelling or redness it's fine and will EVENTUALLY go away. It does also get more intense if it's been a busy day with lots of activity. Hope this helps and good luck.

He may have a vitamin deficiency. I get terrible leg cramps myself when I'm active if certain vitamins aren't present. They are: Calcium (milk doesn't supply as much as you think)
Magnesium
Potassium - a BIG one.
So try giving him a multivitamin (chewable) and Calcium and I think you'll see a big difference. I no longer have the leg pains. Also, have lots of bananas on hand. They have stopped lots of mine as well.

A pediatric chiropractor may be able to make some adjustments that eliminate the leg pain. Also, vitamin D deficiency can cause joint pain. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are at a higher latitude and have much cloud cover, so it's hard to make all the vitamin D we need if we aren't adequately out in the sun in the summer months. (Sunscreen prevents the body from producing vitamin D in the biologically normal way.) So, a simple blood test could tell you if he has low vitamin D stores.

Hope this helps,

C.

My first instinct is Growing pains - good Lord - I remember them when I was a child. It hurts. The cramping in your legs made me cry and couldn't settle down. My dad used to stretch and massage my legs to relieve the pain. Maybe a little heat might help too instead of the Ibroprophen. I know - I hate having to depend on those kinds of meds. But try a little heat - like a heating pad and/or massaging. Help calm him down. I feel for him. I remember. It really hurts. Here is a link that I found on Growing Pains.....

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/growing_pa...

Also, if you are not happy with the one doctors opinion - get another opinion. You never know. If you feel and your Momma Radar is going off like there is something not right here. It may very well be something is not right. You are his mom and you know him better than anyone else - especially doctors. Best of luck. Hugs to your little guy.

Hi Christina. I actually experience leg cramping and "restless leg syndrome" every night ever since I was pregnant with my twins. Just a thought on a couple of things to try. There is a homeopathic remedy called Magnesia Phosphate that helps with muscle cramping and pain. YOu can get this at any health food store or Whole Foods. They are little pellets that dissolve in your mouth and they taste sweet. They also work WONDERS on menstral cramps. Another thing to try along those same lines is to give him some supplemental magnesium. Magnesium is something that we all need and we don't get enough from our foods usually. Another thing I have found helpful (if it is more pain related) is a homeopathic called Arnica Montana. Again, easy to find at any health food store. Lastly, there is a product that I have been using for several years called Formula 303. They are natural muscle relaxers that are made of magnesium, valerian root, and passiflora flower. I used to get them from a chiropractor but now have to order them online through earthturns.com. People swear by these for nightime leg problems. I gave my mom some for her legs at night and she said they really worked for her. Again, this is my "go to" for menstral cramps and back pain. I haven't touched ibuprofen in over 4 years. I think it is wise to avoid it if at all possible. Just my 2 cents.

-B. S.

Hi C.:
Most leg pain is caused from a magnesium deficiency. My recommendation is to give him a product called Rehydrate. It provides optimal hydration to the muscles. It has magnesium in it which should also fill in the gap of that nutrient he's missing in his body. This product has helped my entire family with leg pain and restless leg syndrome. The product is reasonably priced and safe for ages 4 and up. You can locate it on www.advocare.com/05103683. Have a great day!

S. R

C....i was unable to see the results of others responses...and i'm sure these two things were mentioned..but i wanted to tell you..my son, over quite a few years, had leg and foot pain, he was diagnosed with seavers disease and osgood schlatters disease, which are not really diseases, they are tendon issues which cause sometimes severe pain in the knees and feet. the good news was, he has pretty much grown out of it at 13, and with preventitive stretching and medicine, ibuprofin before sports and tylenol when the pain was too much for just ibuprofin, he did very well. they have alot of information online if you search either one of these diseases and also its very common and easily kept under control :) good luck with everything.
***i was finally able to get into the responses, and i saw a couple suggestions to put rubbing alcohol on his legs...i work in an emergency room and can tell you, that can be extremely dagerous and can acutally cause alcohol poisoning in young children. please don't use this remedy.

I had terrible "growing pains" as a child. Try the water, potassium thing to see if they are cramps. You might also want to try a bar of soap in between his sheet and mattress pad so he has something to move his foot against. This has helped my mom reduce leg cramps a great deal.

In my case, they weren't cramps and typically weren't after I'd fallen asleep. It turned out I had what is called a subluxation of both my patellas - the ligament wasn't stretching as I grew so it was becoming tighter and pulling my knee cap out of alignment, etc. It didn't hamper my activities (I was a cheerleader for two years in high school which coupled with the subluxation caused some cartilidge damage) but in time the running, jumping, pounding, etc will catch up and the pain will get worse.

The pain (to help you pinpoint) in my experience runs mid thigh to mid calf. If you can get your son to point to where it hurts it might help you decide whether to seek out an orthopedist or when to do so.

I ultimately had surgery to snip both of my ligaments about 11 years ago (I was 28) and it made an amazing difference in my overall comfort.

hi C.,

i have a 5 yr old daughter who at the time was 4 she started complaining of led pain but mostly in her knee, she got to the point where she would cry alot saying it realy hurt. every-one told me it was growing pain i never thought much more about it then it seemed like it was getting worse i did take her to a doctor who said it was nothing. wasnt good enough for me i took her the next day to her doctor who right away stater blood work for lime diese. well everything came back normal, she ordered one more test and gave me a appt with a specialist, well in 2 days she called me telling me to get her to boston (childreens Hosiptal) were i was told she had (ALL) childhood lekeima im not saying you have that to worry about but i would DEMAND more testing done the had i of had listen to the 1ST doctor i took her to who told me every thing was normal i wouldnt have her today but she has been in remisson for 1 year now she is still on chemo and doing VERY WELL. hope every thing goes good for you.

hello there i'm G. and have a child girl 6 years old who was also complaining but finally she told me it isn't her llegs it is her ankels and i took her to the foot doc and she has shot tendons so there is a few options i have for this one including surgery . tomorrow i have the second appointment where they will tel me what they decided to do for her ,, well whatever they think is best .

my daughter does walk on her toes though because of her short tendons

i hope sharing this helped

G.
in HP CA

I too believe it's growing pains.
I'm not sure what remedies work for bedtime, in your home.
Here on island the children are treated(as I recall),
to tender massages with warmed up coconut oil, and wrapped in warm/cotton Pj's.
The leggings with the feets in are ideal.
But your boy may not think it's cool since he is six.
Check it out with the PJ's, but the oil can be baby oil by johnson's.
The massage is the touch of mom for him, be gentle, but knead the muscles that he says hurts.
Baby asprin is good enough, but give any medication sparingly, like once every two nights, with warm milk and after meals.
Love and tender memories.

Hi. My son (now 9) also complained of pain in his legs for a few years, usually when going up the stairs but also at night. Since you don't say where the pain is, I don't know if it's similar...but before you start giving him supplements and putting him through medical tests, I'd suggest buying him a good pair of sneakers (not necessarily expensive ones -- what you're looking for is the arch support). When I finally took my son to the doctor, he showed me how my son's legs were affected by the cute but cheap sandals he was wearing at the time. I realized that most of the shoes from places like Target have no arch support. Buying shoes with an little arch support may do the trick (and a banana may help too). Good luck!

I know you've gotten so many responses, but I didn't see something like what my daughter had. I too was told it's just growing pains... she was about 5-6 yrs. We went through one year of giving her Motrin at night! I thought that was excessive and told the doctor I wanted a specialist. We were sent to do an MRI, turns out she had Osteoid Osteoma. It was an abnormal cell division located in the bone. We ended up having her go through an operation to have it removed and she has been healthy ever since. So I definately agree that you need to get a specialist involved and bone scan done.

Is there anyway he has flat feet? I was talking to my daycare provider. She told me a story about her nephew yesterday. He complained about leg pain. They kept telling him that he was too young to have pain. Finally a dr. caught it. Just a thought!

unfortunately i didn't read your original posting....but i was just reading thru all the responses....and wanted to offer my own advice....

'flat feet' could very well be a problem....my sister and i both had flat feet as children and wore corrective shoes (they called them 'thomas heels' in those days) til our feet developed their own arches....it seems to me that doctors don't test feet as much as they used to...

i would STRONGLY recommend discussing ANY supplements with your son's doc before you start giving him anything!!....just because someone tells you they tried it doesn't automatically mean it's safe or good for your son....there are alot of supplements out there that aren't really safe, especially for children....the fda doesn't test supplements...they are considered a food not a medication....so safety and efficacy are not guaranteed...think about all the supplements that have been pulled off the market after someone got sick or died from taking them...

if a particular ingredient in a supplement is recommended (ie potassium) try to get it from real food rather than a bottle...if he needs calcium give him more milk, cheese etc....even puddings and ice creams...think about what foods contain the ingredient in the supplement....your son will learn to eat better and not be trained to pop pills at the drop of a hat...

you weren't clear about what kind of leg pain your son is having...is it muscle cramps?....or is it joint pain?...or is it 'bone pain?...each type of pain would have it's own individual remedy....

i used to frequently get cramps or muscle spasms in my legs...even as an adult....especially at night...but have discovered if i eat a banana every day it keeps them away....my doc says it's the potassium in the bananas....leg cramps can be caused by low potassium....cramps or muscle spasms, when they're happening, respond to being stretched out...if the cramp is in the calf muscle (the most common place, tho i have gotten them in my shin area as well), have your son try to bend his foot upwards so his toes point towards his knee...scuba divers who get cramps in their calves grab their swim fin and pull upwards on it...massage helps loosen the spasm...you can add alcohol or various creams if you want, but it's the massage that helps...not what you put on the outside....keep massaging for a while after you feel the knot loosen up to prevent it from coming back right away....

when i was a child i used to get "growing pains"....deep aches in the bones of my legs....my throat still aches like i'm going to cry when i remember that pain (and it was 50 yrs ago!).....the doctor said it was because my bones were growing so fast....moist heat helped...sometimes i'd soak in a warm bath....sometimes my parents would wrap my legs in hot wet bath towels (put plastic down on the bed first!)...

hopefully you can get your little guy some relief without having to fill him full of supplements...

and one last bit of advice...yes have your son checked out by a specialist....but don't panic and imagine cancer or some other major problem until the doc says what's wrong...if anything....

good luck....D.

My son has also experienced leg pain in the middle of the night on and off for the last 4 years. He's 8 now. I have tried a calcium water and also I have used therapeutic essential oils that are anti-inflammatory, pain relieving and healing to the tissues like peppermint and wintergreen. I would rub them on and within a few minutes, he was off to bed again to sleep. I appreciate this natural remedy because a lot of over the counter pain-relievers have adverse side effects.

My 4 year old has the same problem. We've been rubbing arnica gel on her legs when they're bothering her. She's said it really helps.

Good luck.

Might he have Restless Legs Syndrome? I had it as a child (and as an adult - its not that uncommon)and it sure makes it hard to sleep.

If you think its RLS the first thing to do is make sure he is getting adequate iron. (RLS is caused by a deficiency of iron in a specific part of the brain). A good child's multivitamin with iron might be all he needs, or you could try to increase iron naturally with foods like blackstrap molasses, raisins, red meat, leafy greens, etc.

The second thing is to make sure he is getting enough calcium and magnesium. One good way to get enough magnesium is to take epsom salt baths (this might really help him feel better, too). If you give calcium as a supplement its also a good idea to give something that helps prevent constipation at the same time, like a prune, and to avoid constipating foods while taking the supplement, such as apples, rice, and bananas.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Hi, I'm amazed at all the responses and possibilities of the root cause of leg pains. My experience is that I had one of 3 children complain of leg pain. My 4 yr old son (now 29) frequently complained until I started taking him to a chiropractor. Once he started getting adjustments he never complained again. The pediatrician had said growing pains but the chiropractor said there's no such thing as that. He said he had a slight case of scoliosis (curvature of the spine).
I, myself, had restless legs that kept me awake only when I was anemic for a time. Glad you're getting some things to think about, hope he gets some relief.

Hi C.,
I have not had a chance to read all your responses (but glad you got so many). I also have a 6 year old that for several years complained of the same thing- in fact your situation is quite familiar. I started giving him a full does of an all natural- very strong anti-oxident/anti-inflamatory supplement. And it's funny, I just had this conversation with someone yesterday, when I realized that he has not complained of his legs hurtin once since he started taking the full dose. There is a little more to the story of the supplements (all good) and I'd be glad to share it with you along with the info on the supplement if you want to contact me.

I had "growing pains" as a child. That's what an orthopedic said but I later found out at 16 yrs. old that I had a form of arthritis called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I am now 31 yrs. old. I still have pain and I stopped growing years ago. So if it continues definitely go to a specialist whether it be an orthopedic or rhematologist.

My sister had a similar experience with her son. She had been holding milk products from him related to asthma ... used soy instead. Her physician recommended more milk because of a potential lack of calcium. More milk for him and the leg cramps disappeared.
Good luck!

Hi C.

Just thought I would mention Isotonic Nutrition. You can go to my web portal www.marketamerica.com/dherber and click on health and nutrition on the left had side. I thought you may try the children's "mightimins". This is all the vitamin and minerals they need, plus it has probiotics and phytonutrients that their young bodies need. Their digestive systems are not truly developed yet until early teens. Sometimes if they are lacking just one vitamin or mineral, they cannot properly absorb nutrients from their food. And let's face it; we can't get proper nutrition from our food these days.

The big thing about this "isotonic" product is that it is a powder you mix with 2 oz of water and it becomes isotonic. This means it is already predigested and you will get 95 to 98% absorption if taken on an empty stomach. And it tastes great! My grandson is four and loved it at 2 years old.

We have found that our isotonic calcium alone will take care of restless leg syndrome.

Any questions, email me at ____@____.com.

I too am addicted to estate and yard sales...I'm constantly looking at Craig's list! My son also had horrible leg cramps at this age as he is very tall. I received help from a friend who mentioned it was a lack of calcium and I've given him supplements which has helped ever since. This became one of the many reasons I made it my home business. Check out my website and if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to help. I hope that you indeed find something that works for you and your son! Oh, and if you open that vintage shop, post it somewhere as I'm sure to be one of your frequent buyers!!!

Take care,

D.

www.shaklee.net/denise_friedl

I had "growing pains" as a kid, but I still get them when I'm overtired. My kids get them too when they haven't slept enough. Do you find there's a relationship between the quantity or quality of his sleep and whether he gets pains? If so, he might need an earlier bedtime to keep him well-rested. I found that a heating pad and keeping their legs warm at night helps avoid the problem as well. Good luck!

Child Massage is excellent for those horrible growing pains. it helps to relax those muscles and it helps those muscles to recover better so those pains will be less frequent. there are tons of books on childhood massage, or see a local massage therapist and they can show you what you can do to help.

For years my son has had the leg pains and got up at least once a week, but sometimes 3 to 4 times in the middle of the night. My ped. told me it was growing pains and on a seperate topic that he was pigeon toed. Then when he turned 5 another ped. told me to take him to an adult ortho. doc. The ortho doc. said the pains are because he was flat footed and one leg was slightly longer than the other. I was so upset that I let him go all those years with pain, when all he needed were orthodics. The foot dr. also told me that if he is waking up from the pain that, that is not growning pains.

Hope it helps.

I know this sounds weird, but he may be dehydrated, and he also might have a low calcium level. I've had leg cramps all my life, and the cramps worsen with activity, but if I make sure I take my calcium supplement and drink enough water, the problem goes away. In college, my obgyn actually gave me two shots of calcium to combat severe cramps, and told me to take two calcium AND drink lots of water every day. He (the obgyn) said calcium levels were hard to test for, since your body naturally pulls calcium out of your bones when your tissue calcium levels aren't high enough (scary, huh?).

Anyway, it's a safe remedy, so you might try it. The water might actually be a bigger factor, but the two things might be working together.

Good luck!

Okay, I know not all leg pain is the same from experience. Can he pinpoint areas of pain? Is it an ache? A muscle cramp?

As a kid and now as an adult, I get leg aches (My grandmother, mom and now my 6 yr old have them too). It is an ache with some tender spots that when massaged, help a lot. (Accupressure?) And stretching (esp quads/thighs) helps. I do take and give ibuprofen too.

While pregnant, I had the worst restless leg syndrome with many nights up pacing. Different feeling entirely. Maybe kids can get it too, but I haven't heard of any.

Then actual cramps when the muscle tightens to cause pain, usually sharp. Definitely hydration, circulation and/or nutrition related. I have had my share of those from exercise and pregnancy too.

See if you can idenify the exact location and type of pain. Muscle or tendon or bone? That can at least help narrow some options for you. Good luck.

Hello,

I just read about your son and would like to share what we have experienced. I hope this helps. Your story sounds too similar to what we have experienced with our son.
My son started experiencing lower leg pain when he was 6 years old. It was not so bad at first but slowly progressed as time went by. It always happened at night. The funny thing is that it was always the left leg. I found that odd but like you, I was always told it was growing pains until I mentioned that I found it odd that it was only on the left leg. My pediatritian referred me to an orthopedic doctor who performed several tests and one of them was an MRI of the entire spine. This scan turned up what they diagnosed him to have, Chiari 1 Malformation. His brain stem was putting pressure on his spinal cord and the spinal fluid was slowly accumulating. His circulation was not 100%. He would always complain of tingling in his toes. He hated beng barefoot. This condition is usually found in adults because people always think the pain is growing pains. I felt and knew that they were not growing pains and was persistent with the pediatritian that I no longer believed that they were. Once they found the problem, we were referred to a pediatric neurosurgeon who operated on him and lifted his brain stem up through the foramen magnum where it needs to be. This was the worst day of our lives but with God's help and love, we got through it. Our son is doing so much better. He still has his leg pain occasionally but not to the severety or degree that he used to before the surgery. I hope this helps.
Priscilla

I experienced this all growing up and still have problems with them from time to time. My children also have "leg aches". A very warm bath, drink hot milk, a massage, deep heat ointment, and (my favorite) a rice bag. I have made a few of these for my kids and they sometimes use them just to warm up. You can make your own with a bag of brown rice emptied into a fabric envelop and sewn shut. Put it into another fabric envelop made usually from flannel. Put in a cup of water into the microwave the first time you micro it and every other time to provide essential moisture. I would suggest nuking it for 2 minutes and add 30 seconds if it is not the desired temperature. Good luck!

hi there, i'm sorry to hear you have had to worry about this for so long. four years seems a long time to have such leg pain so my recomendation (for what it's worth) is to see a specialist soon, it's always nice to have an action plan or some answers, momma intuition counts for alot. E. t

Ok, this is going to sound crazy and I am really surprised no one else has suggested it. My great grandmother used this remedy with me. I had TERRIBLE leg cramps as a kid. Right around your childs age. So my mom would rub rubbing alcohol onto my legs. I don't know why it works, but it did. It is really cheap and easy. Just splash a little in your hand and massage it on his legs before bed. Easy. I just recommended this to a lady on my son's soccer team and she said it worked the first time.

I hope that helps. If you are still uncomfortable or feel not right, take him to a specialist. Better safe than sorry. Please let us know what you did and what worked. I am very interested to know what happened and if your son found relief! Hang in there!!

C.,
I too have a 6 yr old with leg, knee and joint pains. I was convinced that they were "growing pains" Howener, after another endless week of complaints this winter, I called my pediatrician and my son actually tested positive for lyme disease. He was put on anti-biotics for several weeks and is doing much better. The aches and pains have subsided. My pediatrician was wonderful, he was the one who recommended the testing. We found no visible bite or anything so I was reluctant to have my son go through the testing. It was a simple blood test. I have six children and my 6 yerar old is number 5 and they are all active. I know how hard it is to see one of them in pain. Good luck and be persistent.

Hi C.
I see you've gotten many responses to your question. Mamasource is so helpful, but I've noticed sometime the answer given is scary. Sometimes the answer is simple sometimes complicated. I have a special needs child that reacts very strong (and negatively) to many chemicals and drugs, so we go natural 99% of the time. We have a chiropractor we see who is wonderful and supportive in our efforts to keep her healthy and safe. Although it is not true some times, the majority of "growing pains" is a lack of potassium. Somebodies don't absorb as much as quickly as others. I would try this first before going to the Dr. One more thing to rule out and a simple cure if this is the reason. In the mean time massaging really does help, I had them as a child myself.

C., Unfortunantly I did not see your request until today and I know you all ready have a tone of responses but I myself had a tone of leg pain growing up. It is a terrible feeling I feel horrible for your son. I was lucky in the sense that my mom works for a chiropractor so my mom knew that I had more options that to just medicate me. You can get what is called Biofreeze, it is like icy hot but doesn't have that awful smell. Use that as a massage lotion and rub his legs with that in the problem areas before he goes to bed. Get him checked just to make sure it is none of that scary stuff that the other people mentioned but assuming its nothing this was, and still is good remedy for me. Good luck.

C., I have an 8 yr old boy who has had extreme and frequent leg cramps since he was 4. I'm not a fan of ibuprofen if I have another choice. I have found that warm baths help alot, massage and lovins do too. The one thing that I have found that helps the most though is homeopathic tablets.. I found them at the Falls pharmacy and he doesn't mind the taste and he hasn't built up a resistance to the tablets after 3 years of use. He is extremely active and they're bound to get growing pains but it's hard to see them hurt. The doctors told me the same thing after I took him to Childrens Hospital. I wouldn't spend the money on a specialist though he's probably just a growin boy,thats the genius advice I got atleast. Hopefully this will help you, it has us! C.

HOMEOPATHY!!! I'm pretty sure the remedy for growing pains is calcarea phosphorica. you could combine it with arnica montana for the pain. ibuprofen is damaging to the liver, and homeopathy is tried and true.

Christi,

When my middle son was 3 he started to complain of leg pains, at which time my pedi said it was growing pains as well, but as he got older and kept complaining, we were referred to a orthopedic specialist and that is when we found out that he had Perthes (loss of oxygen and blood flow to the hip joint), we had to restrict him from being a 6 yr old at the time. His hip joint was basically crumbling away and if we did not stop him from jumping, hopping, running, etc...he would have to have surgery. The symptoms that brought it to the specialist attention was that he complained that the backs of his knees were always hurting, so after numerous x-rays and mri's they found the problem...for about 3 years he could not join in sports or participate in PE at shcool for quite some time, during that time we were seen at Scottish Rite by a doctor that specialized in Perthes, then when he was about 9 yrs old we took him in for a follow up and he had finally healed to where he could be a kid again and do kid things...We are now unfortunately going through the issue again with our 5 year old...it has started to become more frequent in waking up at night with the pain...and all we can do for now is put ice on the back of his knees and give him either tylenol or mortin...I wish you all the luck with this because it killed me when I had to tell my son when he was 6, that he could not play because of his "condition"....if you would like more information please let me know...

S.

please get your son checked by a specialist.. iam a mother of three. my five year old had similar symptoms and i was told it was just growing pains. Finally my ped. done blood work and a bone scan and it turned out to be much worst.Stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer. So please get him checked !!!!

i would get a bone scan i have a cousin who was having the same thing and it turned out he had bone cancer. he was very young so who would have thought that but my aunt searched and demanded answers to his pain and that is what they found. this was many years ago he is now a grown man getting married but who knows if they hadn't caught it as soon what or where he would be today.

Do you have fibromyalgia in the family? Sometimes this is a symptom of primary fibromyalgia. Is he ADD or ADHD? Is he shy or particularly artistic? Does he learn easily or is he somewhat distracted? Does he chew his nails? Does he eat a lot of starches and sugars? I'd investigate Primary or childhood fibromyalgia. Chris

Just FYI. Last week my friend's 4 yr old nephew went to the doctor for a second opinion on leg pains and was finally accurately diagnosed with luekemia (100% curable in this age group.) He has also been anemic. I'm not saying this is your child's issue, but because it's so fresh on my mind I thought I would let you know. The parents would have never known. The only sign was pain in his legs.

I am amazed or maybe i missed it but can't beleive no one said anything about shoes. One of my 3 boys had really bad leg cramps. A well fitting light weight shoe seemed to really help. I am sure it also was a combo of some of the other responses i have read here also.

I also as a child had growing pains,and also my bones ached but they kept reoccuring until i was finally at 50 diagnosed with celiac sprue. When my 2yr old grand son complained that his bones ached, we put him on the "diet" and the pain disappeared.

A wheat free, gluten free diet, will definately help this problem. For more information please feel free to visit some of the celiac Sprue websites that are out there.

My oldest boy (now 6' 4") had horrible growing pais, he would literally writhe in pain on the floor. What worked pefect for him was daily liquid calcium (get it at the health food store). It really helped a lot. Once he was a teenager, he took the calcium tablets from Costco, and the minute he didn't take them for a few days he was telling me that once again, Mom knew best.

Have you tried Chiropractic care? We see a lot of children in our practice and growing pains are not "normal" and giving him over the counter pain relievers just hides the symptoms. At least Chiropractic care is good for his entire nervous system. Feel free to email me with any questions you might have and I'd be happy to help.

My son is 17 and 6'2 now so you can imagine his growing he had pains early on the doctor told me to give him lots of high calcium foods or supplements and also high potassium foods bannans are good but the best natural source is potatoes. Our doctor came to this conclusion after a simple blood test they can see where they are lacking nutritionally and I thought my son was getting plenty of both he has always drank milk like water apparently thats not always enough an added benefit he is a football player he has sprained many areas of his body but he has never actually broken any bones hope this helps

Hi there. Just a quick note after reading all of your wonderful responses. If you decide to give your son Magnesium I just wanted to let you know a little side effect. Magnesium is absolutely wonderful but if you are taking the good capsules such as country life or blue bonnet, etc it will also make him run to the bathroom! I actually learned of magnesium after having my first son and having a terrible constipation problem and I have been taking it for that ever since. It is a wonderful recommendation from the readers...I just wanted to let you know about it...so there are no embarassing accidents :) Also, my son suffered with terrible growing pains as well starting when he was around 3. He is extremely active as well. I loved hearing that someone suggested the rice. I use one of my husbands large socks and fill it with rice, tie it up and nuke it for a couple minutes. Then I wrap it around my sons feet/ankles/calf when they hurt. It seems to really help along with the baths and diet. I think a large problem causing my son's though is his toe walking. I hope all works out well for you. I know it is hard too see them hurt.

I have had two kids that experienced chronic leg pains like this. My older daughter was relieved with leg massages her father gave her. My 6 year old has been complaining of them too... hers might be related to taking Singulair for allergies. I just recently learned that there is some connection with leg pains and this medication.

Is he getting cramps in his leg at night? He might need more calcium... so try supplementing with that. I have a 4 year old that has been a perpetual jumper since he could walk... and I thought for sure he would complain of leg pains or BREAK something someday.. but has not complained or has he broken anything. Is it in just one leg or both? I think it could just be growing pains... my older daughter has had them since she was a toddler (she is 12 now) a little less these days.. but the leg massages and a bit of ibuprofen when it was really bad did the trick.

If you are really concerned.. take him to the doctor. Maybe he can order some tests to see if he has any vitamin deficiencies?

best wishes.

Leg pains are common among young children, known as growing pains. I had them most of my growing years, and realized that when my dad started working swing shift, he would warm up some milk to drink before he goes to bed. Of course, me being the youngest child in the family, I would sneak up on him and he would be so happy to see me, and sit me on the kitchen counter and give me a small glass of warm milk. Thinking back to those days, I never had growing pains again. Now that I have a five year old daughter, who has the same problem, starting last year. I thought of what my dad did for me....so I started giving her warm milk, of course she did not like the taste of it, I would give her a little dab of Quik chocolate powder to her milk, and from there on she never has growing pain issues. This is like taking calcium, and I would rather have her drink milk than taking the pill....making her think that its ok to take pill everytime she is hurting. This has helped our family alot, Zoe, my daughter even said it to a 6 year old neighbor girl to do the same thing. Her mom came to me asking about it, and I told her my story, she tried it and sure enough it solved her problem. So why not give it a try. I never had growing pains from age 7 until I was in my teens. Thanks to my dad who is now 89, and will be 90 in couple of months. He drinks 5 gallons of milk all by himself in a week, and he is strong as an ox!!! He has fallen and been hit by cars so many times...yes I say cars, because he was recently hit by a big 3/4 ton truck that had guard on him, and hes a little bitty man, and didnt hurt but his hands when he fell. So you can imagine what milk does to him. So good luck with your scon, hopefully you can find something for him.
If nothing works, and you live in Vancouver, there is an awesome doctor (naturpathic/chiropractic) who specialize in making sure people are comfortable. I went to him on a referral by a friend of mine. I have had him for about 20 years now. If you have Kaiser, you will have co-pay not much.
Take care now,
D. Britzius-Nelson

Hey C. - does your son ever get headaches or have you ever seen a rash on his face or upper body?
You've gotten alot of advice and input - I don't want to add to your list - just wondering -
D.

hey there. I have not experienced thid myself with my 2 children (ages 3 and 7) but I have friends who have and they swear by the homeopathic for "growing pains" made by Hylands or Biorn. These can be purchased at a Whole Foods or Super Supplements. Good luck

I know someone who swears by giving the child a banana. Apparently the jolt of potassium you get when you eat one (I myself HATE them) does the trick!
Good luck!

Hi C.,

My daughter was about 14, when she started complaining of leg pain. Her doctor sent her to a specialist and they determined that she had Hashimoto's (sp.) disease. It's a lack of thyroiod hormone. I realize your son is much younger, but it can't hurt to get his levels checked.

J.

Wow...I am amazed to see all the responses to this!
My older son (age 9) has had "growing pains" consistently
since the age of 4. They only happen in the middle of the
night, and quickly go away with a little motrin and gentle
massage. I notice that they happen more frequently if he
has had gym or a sports activity that day.
Just the other day my 6 year old woke up crying---both his
knees hurt. I thought, oh no, here we go again. Guess I
am in for a lot more sleepless nights!
Anyhow, while it certainly doesn't hurt to get this checked
out by the docs, I can only say that after 5 years of this my son
is healthy and thriving. I too have read that there is only
a real concern if the affected area is red, swollen, and/or
hot...and even more painful when touched. In our case, my
son begs for us to rub his knees or ankles, and they soon
feel better.
Hope this helps!

When I was a child I had growing pains all the time. I didn't find out that it was athritis until I moved into a humid climite. I am studying in the nutrition field and find that it helps if I eat bananas and drink milk. Please make sure your son is getting enough potassium and calcium. If that doesn't make a difference try heat pack and massages to stimulate the muscles. Also the best thing to do it keep them active. If their is athritis muscle around the joint helps with the pain, staying active requires the bones and muscle to rebuild constantly. It works for me!

I am new to mamasource and just read your followup on your son's ailement. I have 2 sons, yet only one had leg cramps. He was the more active one, didn't know what to do w/all the energy. His pains started early on and did not stop till he was twelve; all of a sudden, so I thought.
My husband trained youths for the L.A. Marathon and my son showed an interest; much to my chagrin. He trained and has now done it twice. However, I am not recommending your son run a marathon, the training, and new nutritional diet (consisting of many bananas before the longer training runs) may have been the trick. He also drinks lots of water during the regular day to stay hydrated, crucial when running such long distances. I just one night noticed we weren't getting up as much since he had started this practice. He also said "Yea that's true mom my legs haven't hurt like that since I started my running." Given he is so active he had a hard time being "tired enough" to sleep; that also is no longer a problem. After the long runs I would soak him in an Epsom salt bath, massage, and put on the foot patches to reduce swelling and he is always good to go to school in the morning. Perhaps the diet, exercise, baths and massaging which went hand in hand is what did the trick. Like I said they just went away and have not returned. His doctor said it is the combination. My son is now 13. By the way he also has asthma which is controlled and of course we have him checked by his doctor during the intense training every month. The doctor not only checks his breathing but joints, groin, muscles, weight, etc. to make sure he is in condition to run the long runs. His doctor made the comment this year that he is noticing my son is getting a runner's body. You may want to try active sports like basketball, track or soccer, which are all constant motion sports. Good luck, I know getting up in the middle of the night to rub your sons legs is not fun for either of you.

C. C,

My son would wake up crying in the middle of the night with leg pain. Due to a very good pediatrician, we discovered he was allergic to milk, corn, citris, and chocolate. Once we removed those items from his diet, the cramps went away. He was so glad to be rid of the pain that he would read lables and package information at school. He was in kindergarten and could not "read" but he could recognize those words. He stayed on that diet for a year or two and then we slowly introduced those items back into his diet and he has done fine. You will do a lot of lable reading too. It is hard to find things that do not have some kind of corn in it, but it can be done.

L. J. (I see from the responsed there is more than one L. J.)

My son who is now 6yrs. old has had the same growing pains for about 3yrs. now but not as frequent. All i do is rub and massage his leg til it goes away which is usually 10-15 min later then hes back on his feet running around.

C., I had leg pains at 6 and 7 and 8. My Dad would also massage my legs and that would help. My parents finally took me to a podiatrist who said, as I remember, that I had Morton's Syndrome. This meant that my foot was missing the ligaments that were there to hold up my arch. He took a mold of the sole of my relaxed foot and made arch supports. I had to wear lace up shoes to provide enough support. I also did exercises by rolling my feet to the outside edge to create an arch. I also consciously held my arch up by toeing in. Apparently this worked because by my late teens I had an arch and have not had any further difficulty with my feet or legs since as long as I wear a shoe with enough support. That is nearly everything but entirely flat shoes. I walk miles.

I know the medical field says that some people just have flat arches and they don't need to do anything. My brother has flat arches but he never had the leg pains. Same for a cousin.

I've tried looking up Morton's syndrome on the Internet but haven't found it. I suspect I haven't remembered the name correctly.

So I suggest that you have your daughter's feet evaluated by a podiatrist.

I may have been given aspirin but not all of the time. And a heating pad did help.

my little sister had bad growing pains and her dr. told us to give her bananas because the potassium will help. she also got a pain reliever but i see you already give him that.

Read many of the responses with great advice, here's yet another possibility. Can't tell you how many times a doctor said "growing pains, stress, I found nothing wrong" After leg & hip pain from age 8 to 48 finally a doctor said Fibromyalgia.

i had this growing up and a few years ago started having it again. what my mom did was give me mads and rub my shins with rubbing alcohol. although the rubbing felt good it never got rid of the pain nor did the alcohol. the meds do work but take while to . we finally realized that they would hurt me after the nights i had soccer games or did alot of running/activities. so on those nights i took meds before going to bed and i wouldnt awaiken at night in pain. now that i've grown up i've noticed a few things that work again meds work but you have to wait and you dont like taking it all the time. hot baths work to a degree the pain goes away while you're in the water but usually still hurts a bit after getting out. the best thing i think is to get a heating pad or those rice bags that you microwave and put those on his legs until he falls asleep. the pain goes away while they are on you and once you fall asleep you either dont feel it or it has gone away by then. get some that are shaped for his leg though or get something like that long band theey wrap a wrist with when its sprained so that when he moves around at night it will stay put. hope these work fo you.

Hi C.,
I have to agree with those who say "growing pains" are not real. There is a source to the pains, luckily you have been given some very good advice here and good places to start with finding a solution. I don't want to scare you, but I recently had a friend of mine from church lose her young daughter to osteosarcoma, a form of cancer. This long experience started with "growing pains" in her legs. Just something to be aware of. This is a very common form of cancer that often occurs in young teens/preteens who are tall. Obviously, your son is only 6, and I don't know how tall he is, but this is something you should be aware of with these pains starting at such a young age.

Good luck in your quest. God Bless.

When my oldest was about this age he started having leg pains (growing pains). He was allergic to milk products, so I could not increase his calcium intake except by way of supplements. However, what seemed to turn the tide for him was when I began giving him low dosage supplements of selenium. It was my mother's advice - we consider her our "family doctor" when it comes to maintaining good health. Once he got through a "growth spurt" we would discontinue the selenium, but continue regular child vitamin supplements.

Very quickly.....I have been a Shaklee Director for over 20 years and this is the most common complaint I receive from moms and every single time the answer is to take calcium/magnesium supplements. It works every time. And, to dramatically improve the health in everyone in your family, is to eliminate dairy from your diets. You don't absorb calcium from milk anyway. I drank 3 gallons a milk a week and still had calcium deficiencies. We're the only animal that doesn't wean their babies! Check out: The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmidt, ND, foreward by Sally Fallon.

There is sometimes a link from growing pains to a lack of calcium. You might try giving him a calcuim suppliment and keeping his dairy intake low for a couple of weeks. Dairy tends to take the calcuim out of the bones for digestion because of it's protiens despite what the dairy industry might want to tell you. My husband who is now 6'3" had growing pains most of his life but tended to grow in short spirts. I experienced leg cramps when I was pregnant that were very painful. Cows can get it so bad that they go down and you have to give them calcuim intraveniously. Hope that helps. J.

I think you should first have your child tested for autoimmune disease, insist on this lab work with your M.D. just to rule out any thing their with his immune system. Good luck and God Bless.

C., my son had frequent growing pains from 2-71/2. he would wakeup at night, and I would give him the motrin, and he would go back to sleep with in 30 min. I would rub his thighs and legs for him,The Drs. said it was growing pains, and he would grow out of them. Don't spend money on a specialist yet wait it out and just be there for your little guy.He is almost thrugh it. My son is 10 now and still very active. He has not had any growing pains for about 3 years now.

Gosh, once a week for years might be way too much for "growing pains". I remember having them as a kid, but just sporadically, and both my boys had them. My younger one way more than the older one, but still----maybe once or twice a month, at the very most. I'd push your doctor to run some tests. This is just too much, too often to ignore, IMO!

C.,

After reading most of the responses I wanted to add one more mild possiblity. My daughter also had leg cramps like that when she was young. Her pediatrician simply had her stand barefoot on the floor. Within seconds he told me she had flat feet. That caused a strain on her legs and made them cramp at night. We got her in some great shoes with great arch supports and the problem went away immediately. She now has orthotics to prop up her arch.

My sisters daughter had many leg pain problems around this age and she ended up taking her to a chiropractor and she cliams it really helped. I would talk it over with your doctor first thought. (I'm not recommending necessarily, just an idea).

My daughter too complained of leg pain at that age. Growing pains was unheared of to me until I spoke to a young lady who had the experience as a child. Massaging and having him relax helped. I was made to understand that her height was a factor.

Hello C.,

I saw your post and wanted to respond too. My mother-n-law told me my husband had horrible leg pains when he was young. She said she took him back and forth to the doctor trying to figure out what it was. They were really bad, although I don't recall how often they happened. He is now 6 foot 6 lol.
A doctor finally told her they were growing pains. I 3 girls and one son, my middle daughter had some growing pains as well.
She just turned 17 in Feb and is now 5 foot 10 lol.
You never know, maybe he will be the next NBA player.

Good Luck
T.

I had this as a child and learned there is nothing such as this pain name.
It is a fable some started.
But the PAIN IS REAL.
Because I was misdignised I now have a leg I can not use much.
Mostly I drag it.
I have as a effect /after effect clots,stunt growth,cancer etc.
Please please see a dr that is not into old wise talls.
Pain is the body talking.

I wish you all well.

Hi Christine. I had chronic leg pains since childhood. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but a doctor finally gave me the remedy. Have your son STRETCH out his leg as soon as the cramp comes. It will be relieved in seconds and he won't have that afterpain, or even the long cramping. It worked for me.
-J.

C., I do not mean to scare you ,but wanted to tell you of my own personal experience with my niece, Lauren, who began having leg pain at 4 and went to many doctors and it was not until she was 6 that they found out she had lukemia. She survied it,after a huge battle, and is 23 now and perfectly healthy ,but it was very ,very traumatic and not a fun experience to go through with my sister., who is simply an amazing mother.
PLEASE have him tested ,ASAP and more than onceif necessary, it took them a while to find it and said that somtimes it may not show up in the blood -work.
I truly pray that this is not the case for your son.I hope it is just growing pains.
I just don't want you to rule this out ,as the earlier this is treated the better.
best of luck.
S.

i had terrible "growing pains" growing up, as did my husband. i, too, only grew to be five feet tall. both my children, now 8 and 11, have had growing pains from a young age and still do. we have had many "middle of the night" warm baths, etc.

if it is going to be a cold night, i always make them wear "long jammies" and socks to bed. Also, i now administer motrin or children's advil at the first signs. i learned that not doing it at the first signs will just lead up to them getting worse and worse. a warm bath and massage and then covered up in bed will usually do the trick. sometimes we need to whip out the hot pad.

good luck!

I don't want to alarm you but I really think you should get this checked out. Do NOT let the pediatrician tell you anything but a firm answer. If he/she doesn't know for sure then you must ask for a specialist. They won't offer that choice. A specialist will find out what the problem is. I am speaking from experience here. Good luck to you! And I hope he feels better soon.

Hi C., I have the same problem with my 8 year old daughter. It used to be worse when she was about 6 but it seems to be getting better. My doctor said it would be good for her to stretch everyday. I was also hesitant on giving her so much ibuprofen but it was the only thing that helped. I also rubbed her legs just about everynight which got old. My doctor also said it was probably growing pains and she is also really active. But I do think with time your son will have less pain. I hope that helped, good luck.

For my son (who is now 9) I have found a few different contributing factors to knee pain:
1. he was rolling his ankles inward (basically caused by not tyeing his shoes properly - nice and tight (but not TOO tight) is good.
2. an external arnica rub seems to help a lot. Market of Choice has a number of arnica rubs - there are no side effects and you are treating the problem at the point of the pain, not the whole body, which I like.

Dear C.,

I'm not sure if anyone else has already mentioned this, but their is a syndicated columnist, Dr. Gott, who has had MANY people write in saying that putting a bar of soap under their bed sheet helps with nighttime leg pain. Nobody can explain why it works, but it does seem to work for some. I can tell you...it worked for my son's "growing pains". Of course, my son's leg pain wasn't nearly as often as your son's. Anyhow, I have included below what one of his articles had to say on this topic. Good Luck! C. H.

DEAR DR. GOTT: I don't know how the soap-under-the-sheet technique works for leg cramps, but it does. I have been diagnosed with restless legs syndrome and, since using the soap therapy, have had no symptoms. I now can sleep through the night for the first time in many years. Thank you for the tip.

DEAR READER: Since I first published this remedy for nocturnal leg cramps, I have received dozens of letters from readers who endorsed this novel approach.

Recently, I have also received mail from patients with restless legs syndrome, a serious and uncomfortable disorder of unknown cause. These RLS patients have had success with the soap. Although it would be irresponsible of me to endorse this as a cure for RLS, the initial responses have been overwhelming. I'll update you in a future column as I receive more feedback from readers.

To review the technique briefly for people who may have missed previous columns, here is what to do: Take a bar of soap (large or small, new or used, but no Dial or Dove) and place it under the bottom sheet of the bed in the area of the feet and legs. Go to sleep and see what happens. If you sleep, undisturbed by leg cramps or RLS for a full night, let me know. And, of course, write me if the technique is ineffective. I'm looking for honest and objective analyses. Based on preliminary information, I am tempted to put soap treatment into the same, hugely successful category as Vicks VapoRub for toe and/or fingernail fungus.

Hi C.,
Just another not so severe diagnosis could be what is called OS(osgood-schlatter)Disease. It is very common in active children caused from the tissue in the knee not growing as fast as the bones in the legs do. It is minor and can can be treated with rubbing and cool/hot compresses and rest of the legs. And pain relivers. They do out grow it and you can do a search on it on the web.

Leg cramps are common at this age. It sounds lke growing pans. It also has nothing to do with his activity. Leg massages help. And bananas and potatoes for potassium will help too.

Hi C. - Just to pop in here, I havent' read all the responses but I also had leg pain when I was 4 yrs old or so
My entire family thought I was just like me grandmother, both of us complaining about let pain, LOL - only I just found out last year that my FEET were causing all the pain. Please have his feet xrayed by a foot dr. To see if there's anything wrong. My feet are not aligned properly and that causes leg pain, hip pain, and posture issues. It might just be growing pains (or like my parents thought, I might have just been copying my grandmother!) but maybe not. Please let us know how it goes.
JO

Hi wow yes what a lot of information, My daughter 9 in April has had lots of leg pain for the last year and could not go to bed some nights without taking ibuprofen. She has even fallen down the stairs, its as if her legs could not hold her up for that moment. She had a MRI scan in Dec 07 and they found that her left leg has/had a weakness and she has had her leg in plaster for a month below the knee. It came off this week, she can only do light swimming but she has alway done gym,ballet and is always jumping/dancing about but has to wait for 6 weeks before she can begin these again to see how it goes, so far all ok.

My Husband and I thought it was growing pains or that she was after more attention she is one of 4. It is well worth keeping a eye on him,, make notes of when the pain comes is it after lots of running etc . be worth getting him check out even if it turns out to be growing pains. you have to go by what the child is telling you.

Hope this helps. J. (UK)

Hey C.,
My son is now 13 and has just started having these pains again. They started when he was about 1 and half and have always been strong when he's going thru a growth spurt. I have always done icy hot on his legs and rubbed them and that always seemed to help him out, then as he's gotten older I've learned having him eat a banana works and make sure he drinks plenty of water. I was like you and did not want to give too much advil. Hope this helps.

D.

I would keep an eye on it when I was 13 I was sent to a Rhumatologist because it was so severe and wouldn't go away and I got diagnosed with Hypermobility syndrome, now I certainly hope it goes away for him, but I was mis diagnosed and told I was faking for years before someone finally referred me to my Rhumatologist, just keep an eye on it and I hope for the best for him! (Just want to let you know there are things other than growing pains that cause that pain, wouldn't want any child to suffer the way I have so at least if these don't go away in time you will know who to get referred to, as it took years for me, GP, then a bone specialist, then to my doctor I have now took him 10 seconds to diagnose me...BEST OF LUCK!!!

Although the doc's are probably right, I would take him to a naturopath (Dr. Gibbons at the Natural Childbirth Center is who we use) to make sure it's not something more serious that others are missing. She's very thorough & a great pediatrician.

Wow, that is a lot of super great advice!! Thanks for asking the question. My 6 year old, oh sorry my almost 7 year old, has some of the same pains now. He however wakes up every morning with his feet and ankles hurting. He is VERY active during the day at school and baseball. But for your son it seems a little more than that since it's been going on for years.

I have to agree with some of the moms that calcium is good but not over the recommended amounts because it might make the situation worse. As an adult if I drink too much milk, especially before bed, I wake up in the middle of the night wihh leg cramps.

Geez what is a mom to do without knowing the root of the problem.

Maybe if you have the availabilty to get his blood levels analized that might figure where the problem is steming from.

Anywho, keep us posted and hug him as much as possible. Sometimes moms love helps tons!
Hug from me to you too!

Hi C. C...I'm J.. I'm new to Momasource, so I started looking back on some of the requests and found yours. Did you
get some help with your son's legs? I had a son with the same thing, when he was little (now he's 20!). It was really hard to see him in such pain, but my husband said the same thing happened to him when he was a kid. Hope you get back to me!
:>) J.

Hi C.,
I am a grandmother of 2 boys and a girl. My youngest grandson who id now 7, has had leg pains for over a year. He started walking like a little old man, limping and such. Many trips to the Doctor, and they finially sent us to Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. It turns out that he has a condition that involves the hip joint socket. It is call "Leg-calves parethies" {sp} They have been treating him and just 4 weeks ago, they put him to sleep and rotated the hip joint and put him in a cast.
The Doctor said this is common in children between the ages of 6 to 11 years of age and in more boys than girls.
He can not jump or ride a bike and has to be very carefull. He will out grow it. I would suggest that you have your soon to a specialist and have this checked out. All the replys sound very good, too. But, best to be safe than sorry. I hope all goes well with your son and something helps. My other grandson, does not have any problems at all. One question? Do you smoke? They say that sometimes this is a problem. Let me know if this helps. K.

I had these growing up, my dad would rub my legs with Icy hot until I fell to sleep. It worked everytime. I never took advil.

Have you ever tryrd feeding him more bannanas sometimes they help my brother got growing pains a lot in his legs mostly my mom feed him bannanas and the potassium in them seemed to help.. My brother and as he got older and now in the service when he gets a mucle cramp he eats one if he is acttive like you say he may need more potassium in his system and bannanas is a natural and healthy way to get it. Hope this helps I know what you mean at not wanting to give to much meds my lil one is teething and I found out that frozen fruit seemed to help better then meds it helps me feel better that its not always Ib and a more naturaly remity..A.