Monday, April 9, 2007 3:46 PM CDT
Kids' 'growing pains' may be something more, experts say
By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com
Youth may not necessarily be wasted on the young, as some kids do pay a price for their seemingly boundless energy.
It’s estimated that up to 40 percent of children suffer from “growing pains,” which may result from the daily activities of on-the-move youngsters, although the specific causes remain a mystery.
As far as local medical experts are concerned, the safest and best way to diagnose growing pains -- an ambiguous term that is used loosely at best by health care officials -- is to rule out other, more serious ailments first. And parents are advised to have their children evaluated if symptoms are ongoing or inconsistent with those typically associated with growing pains.
“If it’s a recurring problem such as daytime pain, pain with activity or pain at rest, I would say they need to be looked at,” said Michael Wagner, a family nurse practitioner with Orthopedic Partners in Charleston and Mattoon.
“We don’t take it for granted that it’s just growing pains.”
According to KidsHealth.org, growing pains -- if they can be called that -- are a “normal occurrence” for 25 to 40 percent of children, especially among 3- to 5-year-olds and 8- to 12-year-olds.
Experts say there is insufficient evidence that bone growth causes growing pains, which some physicians believe is a misnomer because the condition affects muscles rather than joints.
Most children with so-called growing pains complain of discomfort in their thighs, lower legs or behind their knees during the late afternoon or early evening.
“It’s usually after a big day of activity,” said Wagner. “But nobody knows the (cause) of it.”
Even so, experts warn that if the pain seems concentrated in joints instead, or if it’s a regular problem, a medical evaluation is needed. Other symptoms that may merit more drastic action include:
-- Morning pain;
-- Inflammation or redness in one isolated area;
-- Limping, or pain possibly related to an injury;
-- Fever or rashes;
-- And lethargy or loss of appetite.
According to Dr. Joseph Borreggine, a foot specialist in Charleston, serious heel conditions can be mistaken as growing pains. These include Sever’s Disease, in which the heel’s “growth plate” -- the softer, cartilaginous part of children’s bones where growth occurs -- is stretched by the Achilles tendon.
“When they’re running or jumping, they’re just pulling that growth plate,” said Borreggine.
When a child is brought to a physician’s office for suspected growing pains, Wagner said a thorough physical examination is conducted, and this may also include x-rays, lab work and even an MRI.
He said it is better to err on the side of caution, as there are a multitude of other afflictions that could be prompting the aggravation. These include trauma from a fracture or sprain; inflammation from a disease such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; developmental illnesses; neurological problems; or even cancer.
“A practitioner can’t just say, ‘It’s growing pains, see you later,’” Wagner said. “We have to do a work-up.”
If the hurt is from a “disturbance” of a growth plate rather than simple growing pains, Borreggine said the typical recommended treatment is “rest and inactivity.”
“But try to keep a 9-year-old down,” he added. “Kids are resilient. They play with pain.”
To alleviate typical growing pains, KidsHealth.org advises parents to massage and stretch the afflicted area, apply a heating pad or administer ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
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Cheryl wrote on Apr 9, 2007 8:37 PM: