Beware of Leg Pain in Children!

Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Bülent Dağlar gave important information about growing pains. In certain periods of childhood, it is not uncommon to complain of pain in all joints, most often around the knee, in the evening and often after going to bed at night. Since growing pain is not a definitive diagnostic criterion, its incidence has been reported in a wide range in many publications. However, it has been written in many of the publications that almost one in three children aged 4-6 years can have growing pains. The cause of growing pain is unknown. However, when these pains, which tend to recur, are prolonged or severe enough to disrupt the sleep of the family, they cause concern. The criminal diagnoses of the probable diagnosis list in a portion of the quick internet scans increase the anxiety of the family even more. Pediatricians and orthopedists are frequently referred professionals in this situation.

Growing pain? Or is it pain due to a disease?

This is the most basic question of families. A detailed hearing of the complaint, a simple physical examination is often sufficient for the specialist doctor to decide whether an examination is required in the diagnosis. Growing pains most often begin in the evening when resting, most often at night during sleep. Even if the child points to a certain area, he can say that there is pain in another area in a short time. It is very typical for growth pain that mothers do not see swelling, bruises, redness in the area in question in a good light, and the child falls asleep in 30-40 minutes with simple rubbing or simple painkillers, and when he wakes up in the morning, he continues his usual activities without any complaints. Having pain several times in the same night and recurring several times in a week is among the frequent statements of families. In the gentle examination, which will be done without raising the child's anxiety, the specialist physician looks for swelling, discoloration or decreased movement in the joints close to the area. Again, if it is determined that the child does not have tenderness and there is no swelling in the area where the complaint is present, additional examination may not be necessary.

prof. Dr. Bülent Dağlar finally added to his words; “As we mentioned before, being alert for the possibility of recurrence for a while, if the pain recurs with the same characteristics, massage and using simple painkillers are usually sufficient. If there is swelling, limitation of movement in nearby joints, persistent pain in the same area, the pain intensity increases gradually and lasts more than 3-4 days, if systemic symptoms are accompanied by loss of appetite, fever and restlessness, an orthopedic specialist should be consulted. In these cases, imaging methods may also be required, often together with blood tests. The most appropriate examination will be decided by the specialist physician.”