Joint Pain in Kids: What Parents Should Do

Growing pains are a common cause of leg pain in children. These pains are muscle aches that can create  in the thighs, back  the knees, or the calves. Other possible causes of leg pain that may be more major can include juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA), lupus, lyme disease, and leukemia. Growing pains typically occur between the ages of 3 and 7 years and are often details  as an ache or throb in the legs, knees, head or abdomen. Few children are predisposed to growing pains, which produce real uncomfort in children and can be more intense after a day of vigorous activity. Symptoms include:

• Persistent pain especially in the morning or tenderness, swelling and redness in a joint
• Joint pain linked with injury
• Limping, weakness or unusual tenderness

Parents should take their children for Doctor’s consult if the joint pains occur alongside any of the following symptoms:

• Swollen, red or tender joints
• Recent injury
• Limping or trouble walking
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Rash
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue or weakness

The doctor will do a physical examination and may need to run tests to find the underlying cause.