Growing pains

Has anyone experienced growing pains in a 3 yr old. We have been dealing with this intermittently for about 8 mo now and last night was the worst. DS was complaining that both of his legs were hurting. Usually I give him Motrin but last night I tried just massaging and it just wouldn't get better. Is there any other way other than massage? Only one of the twins get's these pains. It seems that the only way I can help him is by using the Motrin. Any other tips

 

Poor guy! My boys get pains in their legs/knees at night sometimes. It's usually after a long day of lots of activity, though I call them growing pains too. There was an article yesterday in the NY Times about it:

QUOTE
The Claim: Growing Pains Are Caused by Growth Spurts
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR
Published: November 27, 2007

THE FACTS

The aches and pains strike in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. For decades, doctors have dismissed them as normal signs of growing in small children, and said the pain was harmless.

Most textbooks attribute these “growing pains” to the stretching of leg muscles, caused by the rapid growth of bones.

But despite widespread acceptance of this claim, there is virtually no evidence that it’s true. Most studies have found instead that the pains — which can affect nearly half of all children — result from brittle bones and physical activity, in particular overuse from running, climbing and jumping during the day.

In 2005, for example, a study in The Journal of Rheumatology recruited 39 children with symptoms of growing pains and compared them with a control group. After ultrasound tests, the researchers found that the children in the pain group had decreased “bone speed of sound” — a measure of bone strength and breakability — suggesting that they suffered instead from “a local overuse syndrome.”

Other studies have had similar results, and some have also found that restless leg syndrome and other conditions are sometimes confused with growing pains. Researchers say that rather than dismiss the pains, parents can alert their pediatricians or try massages and a pain reliever.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Research suggests that growth spurts do not cause pain.


So, it sounds like all there is to do is keep giving motrin. Even if the study is wrong, and the pain is from growing, about the only thing that works is motrin/pain relievers.

 

My DS has started getting them as well over the last few months. My neighbour who is a nurse has a son who gets these growing pains, and has for a few years. She puts rubbing alcohol on the limb(leg,arm,etc)..she says it stops the pain in seconds and then her DS will fall right back to sleep. The last time this happened to my DS we were at the cottage and all I had was flavoured vodka and DH would NOT let me rub watermelon vodka on his leg!!!! Both my neighbour and I have noticed that our DSs get these growing pains when they have had a very busy day and no nap. Give the rubbing alcohol a try next time when the massage doesn't work..

 

QUOTE
DH would NOT let me rub watermelon vodka on his leg!
:laughing:

I think the watermelon vodka sounds ideal! A little for your son's leg, a little for you...everybody's happy!

 

I think the vodka would smell great and hey at 3 am I may need a swig for myself!!! Ha Ha.
Thanks for the tips I'm going to try the rubbing alcohol tonight.

 

My 3 year old has been complaining about her legs hurting in the middle of the night also. We usually gave her Tylenol. Personally, I remember getting them a lot when I was young and my mom always put "growing pain" cream on it. Years later, I realized by the smell she was putting Bengay or something like that on me. You might check the drugstore for creams like that.

 

Our ped. recently suggested using a heating pad for growing pains. I tried this, along with massaging her leg, and she went to sleep quickly. She asked for the heating pad again the next night. I'm not sure if it helps or is just a distraction, but I'll continue to use it if it sooths her.

I remember getting growing pains and how painful they were. Our ped. recommended that my mother give us Gatorade. I can't remember if it helped or not, or what the reasoning was for the Gatorade. I actually just remembered this, so I think I'll try the Gatorade. too.

 

One of the causes of the "growing pains" is a lack of potassium...when the kiddos grow and their muscles stretch and grow as well, the body uses a lot of potassium....soooooo, when dd2 had them (and we had them ALL the time....) we just made sure she ate a banana a day and it reallly reallly helped! (as much, if not more, than the motrin did).
It did stop her up a bit, so we made sure we also gave her a cup of pineapple juice to drink a day while she was on the banana regimen (did you know that pineapple juice does the same thing as prune juice? I didn't until my ped recommended it...it works like a charm!) I'm always up for something that avoids me having to make sure I have medicine on hand (since I tend to lose my bottles, and then end up with 23 different bottles of Motrin around the house!! )
Hope this helps!!
Nicole