How when children with pain grow?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Minh Tuan - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Some children in the process of development often complain of foot pain, especially at night, which makes parents very worried. However, after conducting a physical examination, the doctor diagnosed the child as not having any problems or injuries, but could just be the growth pains that are common during puberty.

1. What is growth pain?

Growth pain in children is a recurrent and self-limited limb pain, the pain often occurs more often and more at night, making it impossible for the child and the parents to explain or know the cause. What is pain.
Growing pains were first described in the medical literature in 1823 and there was confusion with rheumatism, it was not until 1930-1945 that growth pains were distinguished from the group of neuropathies. epilepsy and rheumatism.
Children with growth spurts often have unknown location and have a lot of pain at night, each episode usually lasts a few days and then goes away, then recurs. Children may experience mild pain that causes transient discomfort or severe pain. Although it is not a serious medical condition, growing pains in children still cause concern for parents. Many cases even think that the child pretends to be in pain because it only hurts at night and goes away in the morning. Instead of doubting the child, stay with the child to take care of him and help him feel more secure, and at the same time, adequate supplementation of the substances during this period will also help the child reduce the symptoms of aching limbs effectively.

2. In which stage does childhood growth spurt occur?

Growth spurts in children usually occur from the age of 3 years until puberty. However, the pain is most pronounced between the ages of 3 and 5 and between the ages of 8 and 12.
The reason for the growth of bone pain in children is because the rapid growth of the child will make the burden of the legs heavier and the bones of the lower extremities congested, a number of factors that cause bone pain in children increase. Major growth is:
Because children grow faster than their age, muscles and bones do not develop at the same rate. Due to calcium deficiency in children, it causes muscle contraction disorders leading to muscle and joint pain. Overweight or obese children Too much activity or being bumped Children with growth spurts will present as pain in the front of the thigh, pain behind the knee, pain in the calf, pain in the muscles, often in the night...

3. How does a child with aches and pains grow?

Growth pain in children is a fairly common condition, alarming the state that children are not provided with enough nutrients to meet the rapidly growing needs of the skeletal system. Any attention, care and improper handling during this period will not only not help children relieve pain and discomfort, but also cause the skeletal system to develop asynchronously and the risk of bone diseases. match .
When a child with growth spurts is diagnosed, the doctor will explain the illness to the family to help reduce unnecessary worries and fears.
Growth bone pain in children can be treated with some acute pain relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen... In addition, Naproxen is also a long-acting pain reliever that can be used for children. After dinner to help children sleep well, however, this medicine should not be abused for more than a few days.
In particular, parents can help children reduce pain and discomfort when suffering from growth spurts by:
Warming, massage Getting children to be moderately active Help children practice exercises to help stretch muscles Monitor pain regularly Build a scientific diet with a balance of 4 food groups and a variety of foods rich in calcium and vitamins... In short, growing pains in children is a common symptom. Although it is not dangerous, in order to accompany the child in the early stages of development, parents need to actively learn knowledge and pain-relieving measures to help children reduce their pain. discomfort. It is best to take the child to the doctor for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, avoiding self-diagnosis because it may be confused with other bone or malignancies, leading to incorrect treatment.
Master. Doctor. Nguyen Minh Tuan has over 27 years of experience in the field of Pediatrics. The doctor was former Deputy General Department of Pediatrics - Da Nang Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital before becoming a Pediatrician at the Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital as it is now
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