OT: Can growing pains get this bad?

[AnaheimGirl]

Hi all,

This isn't Disney-related, but I'm hoping some other parents can help me out.

My 2yo has had terrible pain in legs (both of them) for the past 2 days. So bad, she cannot walk, or even stand up. I took her to the doctor yesterday morning, and he thought it was "growing pains", but when he saw her, she was the best she's been for 2 days, and walked a few steps for him. Since then, it's gotten worse, and she's not been off her bum since. She cries when she has to stand up for a few seconds for me to pull her pants up after going potty. I talked to the doctor again, and he sent us to the lab to get some bloodwork done, but we won't have those results till later.

Obviously, I'm hoping it's something as benign as growing pains, but I've never heard of them being this bad. Anyone have any experience with this?

Thank you,

 

[zurgswife]

My son has had them since is was young....not quite as sever...but I usually put ice packs on the knees and shins and that seemed to give him some relief....

But they did come and go...if it stays too long I would take her back to the dr.

 

[DisneyBee]

Yes, they can be that bad. My DS (13 now) had them through 2nd grade and there were times when he would cry and cry from the pain. It was especially bad when he would be at school would have to sit "Indian" style on the floor for assemblies, etc. We had numerous tests done to rule out other things because we were so afraid. Our doctors told us it occurs frequently in kids who have a large bone frame, which he does, and who will be very tall adults.

Just use ice when necessary and ask your doctor about over the counter pain relief. I know it's little help now, but it will come to and end. Good luck!

 

[gr8ful4Him]

Aggie,
I know that must be difficult for you to see your dd in so much pain. Will pray that they are just growing pains and nothing more than that. Please update when you find out more info.

 

[kat3668]

I'm a preschool teacher and a child in my class was diagnosed with this


Toxic synovitis


Toxic synovitis (transient synovitis) is an inflammation of the lining of the joint space of the hip. Toxic synovitis is the most common cause of hip pain in children. It occurs most often in boys between the ages of 4 and 10.

Toxic synovitis commonly follows a mild injury or an illness with low-grade fever, such as tonsillitis or an ear infection.

Symptoms include:

A hip joint that is tender to the touch.
Pain that moves from the hip down the thigh and knee.
Pain with hip movement.
A limp.

Sounds like the same kind of symptoms your little one has...

she was also 2 at the time and a girl too

 

[mommic32]

I can tell you from experience, I know that it's not winter,, but when my daughter got the flu, the legs cramps were the 1st symptom to appear and 2 days later she had a case of full blown flu...

 

[Nicolepa]

My daughter has been having them for 2 years (on and off). Sometimes they get so bad that she cries and cries and won't walk. They will wake her up from her sleep frequently too. Tylenol usually works really well for her.

 

[mommi97]

I have been getting leg pains since I was young, the advice I have is not ice but warmth. Sometimes after sleeping and if they curl up they are cutting the blood circulation warmth helps the blood circulate through the legs. I now have a heated waterbed which helps but I still wake up with pain some nights.

 

[MATTERHORN]

I agree, my DD now 4 gets this about every three months or so, wakes her up in the night and she comes in and the only thing that helps is me rubbing her legs for a LONG time till she falls back asleep. It only happens at night for us, but I have noticed and read research that it will happen after a particularly active day, which has been the case for us. Good luck!

BTW, I had never had this growing up and always thought it was fake, like an old wives tale. I didn't believe her at first, then thought something else must be wrong, now after researching a lot, I know better. I hope she feels better soon!

Andrea

 

[abaldacci]

There're other things which causes pain in the legs I would be more concerned if it were in the hip area. children can have AVASCULAR NECROSIS of the femoral head. I would ask the DR. to order a MRI or a Bone scan if the child keeps having pain.

 

[MrsMcNally]

YES, my son had them the same way you are describing. He said he could not walk or anything. They ran a full battery of test, urine, blood, etc..... Nothing. They said it was growing pains. I was so scared though because you think something is actually really severly wrong with them. I totally remember freaking out. It will pass.

 

[golfgal]

Another thing to ask your dr about is rhumatoid arthritis. A freinds DD was acting just like that when she was about 3 and after several months of doctoring they discovered she had that. Did your Dr do any testing? If not, I would see another. Something is wrong, even if it is just growing pains, the dr should have looked into it a bit.

 

[gr8ful4Him]

I know this may not be a "traditional" thing to do, but you might want to visit with a chiropractor. When I was younger, I had an incident where I had an extreme pain in my hand that grew worse as the night went on. I didn't remember doing anything, but I couldn't really move it by the time I went to bed. We went for x-rays and all, but the traditional doctor could find NOTHING wrong. I went to the chiropractor the next day and she checked me out...turns out I had jammed my elbow! Two adjustments later, I was all better!

 

[magical4us4]

Please get tested for Lyme Disease.

 

[SueM in MN]

My DD's both had very bad growing pains. Since youngest DD has cerebral palsy and has tight muscles to begin with, she had a very bad time. We had the benefit of going to an orthopedic surgeon because of her cerebral palsy, so we got the medical explanation of what actually happens.
When people say that kids grow overnight, that isn't an old wives tale. They actually don't grow at an even rate. They do all of a sudden shoot up. The bones grow first, and as someone else noted, kids who are going to be tall tend to grow more in one "leap".
The bones grow first and the muscles and tendons are stretched by the newly grown bones, which makes the muscles cramp. The stretching stimulates the muscles and tendons to grow to match the length of the bones. Once they are proportional with the bones, the stretching stops and the pain goes away (until the next growth cycle starts again).

If something hurts when they do it, small children often anticipate it will hurt the next time they do it (whether it actually does or not), so they cry and/or avoid doing that activity or they may tense the muscles in anticipation (which makes it hurt more).
Heat usually is better at relaxing muscles, so heat may work better than cold for this. Also, if you rule out other things and it is growing pains, it may be useful to have a consultation with a Physical Therapist, who can teach you some ways to relieve muscle cramps. That was very helpful for us.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

PLEASE, ask your doctor to have a bone scan done. Although it is extremely rare my son was only three when he was diagnosed with childhood bone cancer. Thank goodness our pediatrician didn't dismiss it as "only growing pains" which several of the parents of other children with bone cancer told me their doctors did.

I hestitate to write this because I don't want to scare you and it most likely is nothing at all like what we went through, but I just wouldn't take the chance. Get the test and you'll know you don't have to worry about a serious or life threatening illness.

 

[daksmom11]

I pray that they are only growing pains. My DS10 has been complaining alot about his legs lately and his doctor told me the same. But he suggested a drug free way to relieve the pain and that was to drink more water. Believe it or not it has helped tremendesly.I hope this helps.

 

[DisFlan]

Good luck.

 

[NotUrsula]

But he suggested a drug free way to relieve the pain and that was to drink more water. Believe it or not it has helped tremendously.

If water helps, then the problem is dehydration. One of the symptoms is pain in major muscle groups. When I was nursing I ended up with horrendous pain in my calves for that reason.

 

[ladyelle]

Three of my five children have been having growing pains in their legs since they have been 2 years old. They are now 6 and 8. My husband remembers having them also as a little boy.
The growing pains usually happen in the middle of the night. They wake up crying and can hardly walk from the pain. What seems to help is tylenol, bengay and rubbing their knees and shins.
We also disccussed it and still do each visit with their doctor.
Good luck to you!