Growing Pains in boys??

[the kabuki]

I have a somewhat medical question, so where else would I ask but the DIS boards? Just wondered if anyone else with boys experienced actual growing pains? Not talking emotional here, but real pains. DS7 very rarely will get what I want to say is a cramp in his foot. Usually in the nighttime, enough to wake him up. I just got him back to sleep after massaging his foot for 15 minutes. Just says that it hurts and he'll cry. The massage and a thin blanket wrapped up tight around his foot usually do the trick. I've heard one or two other mom's comment on the same thing, & remember reading somewhere that boys more often than girls' will have these growing pains. Anyone ever heard of this?

 

[lewdyan1]

It has happened to my DS9 for years. Not often, maybe once or twice a year. Sometimes, we need to give him a small dose of tylenol when it hurts really bad, otherwise, like you did a massage seems to help. Hopefully, they will 'outgrow' it.

 

[disney4us2002]

My oldest son (only one thru puberty so far) experienced growing pains in his thighs between 12 and 13 yrs. He grew 7 inches in less than 6 months and it sure sounded like it would be painful. He described his pain as a mild throbbing. The ped just suggested tylenol or motrin before bed. He didn't take it every night but if he had been particularly active, I would remind him to take something before bed. I cannot say he ever complained about foot pain.

 

[Rowena]

My DS 10 sometimes complains of these in the morning, almost always in his legs or feet. It usually follows a huge eating binge, his cheeks even seem to plump out a tiny bit before he gets all cranky from waking up in the middle of the night with pains. Thankfully that only seems to last a day or two, and he does seem to be a bit taller afterwards. Then he's back to his wonderfull goofball self.

 

[Az Pirates]

My 9 year old DS has pains that we call growing pains in his legs ocassionally, usually at night as well.
Hard to tell if they're really growing pains or just from overuse... wish I had half his energy. I'm amazed at some of the physical stuff I've seen him do when he's playing!

He has never complained about the pains in his feet though.

 

[ckckc2000]

Same thing here-My 11yoDS was just complaining tonight that his chest hurts and I told him it was more than likely growing pains (definately not a heart attack )I had terrible growing pains(as a child)-mostly in my calf-and my older son had the same pains legs/chest-mostly when he grew almost 8 inches in about 9 months-He's now 6'1" and turns 18 on Sunday! OMGoodness -I'm a parent to a grown-up I have found the children's motrin or regular Ibuprofen work wonders for this kind of pain(I also am an RN at a Children's Hosp)-but check with your MD to make sure it's OK to use motrin- also to rule out any underlining injury-Good Luck-Hope he feels better soon

 

[Snow Dog Mom]

My 7yo DD has them often in her legs. She has had them for as long as she could talk. I also had them and know that they are terrible. I hated it. It is an odd kind of pain. Her ped said that they are usually worse after alot of activity during the day. I find that to be true.

My 12yo DS has them in his chest also. He had open heart surgery as a baby and when he complained of chest pain I freaked out and immediatly took him to the cardiologist. He said it was growing pains.

 

[bjgrazi]

My 13 y/o ds who stands at 5'9" complained all summer long of his knees hurting. They would kill him.

Well in 1 year he grew a foot.

One night he went to bed his feet fit in his size 7 1/2 sneaker, when he got up the next morning he complained his sneakers were too small. But they fit him the day before. I thought he was trying hard for a new pair of sneakers, he complained so much that 3 days later I took him for new sneakers, his foot was a size 10 We joke about it all the time. Now whenever he complains of his knees hurting, I get ready for a shopping spree.

 

[golfgal]

My kids have complained of these from time to time. I always give them tylenol when they do because I remember having them growing up and they are VERY painful.

 

[meandtheguys2]

DS10 has had them off and on for years. When I asked the doc about them he checked for swelling in the joints, and asked if massaging them helped. When I said it did, he confirmed growing pains and prescribed motrin at a higher dose than usual after extreme activity. (Of course don't mess w/dosages w/out talking to the doc!)

I had them as a girl, and I remember them hurting so bad! Best of thoughts for your little guy!

 

[minkydog]

Growing pains are pretty common, i think, and usually affect the lower legs. If the feet are painful, I would suggest checking for foot problems, like plantar fasciitis. It's an over-use injury which causes acute burning pain in the heels, the arch and the bottom of the foot. Can be one or both feet. Kids often have flatfeet and their shoes don't provide much support. If your child is active and his feet hurt, have it evaluated. Usually it can be corrected with orthotics, stretching, and anti-inflammitories.

 

[HisEllyNelly]

Wow you just brought back some memories of my brother. I can remember him probably somewhere around 11-14 having absolutely HORRIBLE leg cramps in the middle of the night. It only happened every once in awhile but they were enough to get him up out of bed and occasionally fall on the floor crying . I always felt so bad for him. Doctor told my mom to give him more bananas. Dont know if it helped but he did end up being pretty tall and I could no longer pick on my "BABY BRO" any more as he could kick my butt.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I don't want to scare anyone - and most of the time it is growing pains, but you really need to get checked out by a pediatrician. My ds had pains in his leg (especially at night), nurse who lived across the street, said oh it's just growing pains, pre-school said, oh he's fine, I wanted to make sure. I took him to the pediatrican and he ended up being diagnosed with bone cancer. Now that is extremely rare, but so many of the kids I met who did have bone cancer, were first thought to have "growing pains". So I would definitely have it checked out, even though you are probably 99% right about it being just that. You just don't ever want to take a chance.

 

[lewdyan1]

Thanks for the heads up...You can never be too careful. Did your son's pain last many days in a row or were there long periods in between?

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Unfortunately my son had a high tolerance to pain and we never really knew how much pain he was in. He complained a few times at night, but really didn't complain during the day. The main thing that actually made me take him to get checked was that he started limping. I really don't want to scare anybody, because childhood bone cancer is so rare, but I just always would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[BabyTigger99]

My DS5 has had growing pains since he was 3. I notice it most when he is running around a lot, especially when we go up north. A little Motrin and he is sleeping like a baby.

 

[the kabuki]

Thanks for all the info guys. It was his leg and foot/ankle. He's had them so rarely that I don't think that it's anything serious, although I will bring it up at his next doc visit. And he has a very LOW tolerance for pain. I will hear about every single little ache, bump, paper cut etc. Problem with the tylenol is that I never know when it's going to happen since it doesn't very often, and he usally falls back to sleep by the time anything would start taking affect. Said he was fine this morning.

Guess I should start looking for some new shoes and clothes here pretty soon, sounds as if he's in for a growing spurt.

 

[cl1067]

Just a word of warning to anyone who might have a child experiencing "growing pains" at any time other than evening. Growing pains only happen at night. Last summer I thought my then 3 year old was suffering from growing pains when she was waking up in the morning, when within 2 weeks it was to the point she wouldn't walk in the mornings we went to see the dr. After 6 weeks of tests and numerous doctor's visits she was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. During this experience I learned that growing pains only happen at night, so if its any time else during the day it is probably not growing pains.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

My DD suffered growing pains for awhile between 3 and 4 years old. It was awful! She would wake up limping in my room screaming her knee hurts. This went on for about 6 months (that it was real) longer because she realized the attention she got from it, so her "knee" hurt at other convenient times. LOL

My brother was very small as a child. he looked like a 7 year old in 9th grade. The year between his 10th and 11th grade, he did all his growing. To say he suffered from growing pains in an understatement. Imagine years of gradual growth, all saved up for a few months of agony.

 

[janette]

Another caution not to dismiss severe pain too long. Waking up at night with leg cramps was the first symptom when my nephew had bone cancer. Thankfully they had it checked and he was diagnosed early.

If it is something new and persists more than a week I'd take them to the Dr and see what they say.