DS1 keeps complaining that his legs hurt - should I worry?

[scampadoodle]

It's usually at the end of the day, & sometimes during the night. It seems to be around his knee & down his shin. He is a very very active little boy (he's 4.8) so maybe it's something like lactic acid build-up? When I was little, & right up to my 30s, I used to get excruciating aches in my lower legs which my parents & childhood GP dismissed as 'growing pains' Do you think DS1 is 'just' suffering from these, or could it be something more serious? (I keep thinking cancer). He's well otherwise, just overtired 'cause he gets up too early every morning. I generally give him a dose of neurofen when he complains about it (the pain) which seems to ease it. What do you all think?

[jambuttie]

Hi

I have this with my son 4.5 and he has been reffered over to orthostist and orthopaedics. He is in agony at times complains his legs and feet are sore. He is very flat footed though so orthotist will either give him boots or insoles

[scampadoodle]

Thanks JB - maybe I will take him to the doc, just to be on the safe side.

[Sparks]

My dd used to get these. I have a friend who is a paediatrician and asked her about it at the time. She said that they were 'growing pains' and then went on to give a detailed explanation of why they occur, which I have now forgotten. The difficulty is that there is no useful treatment for them. We just used to give her calpol. She doesn't get them any more BTW, age 7 now.

If I were you, I would take him to the gp to rule out anything serious, but it may be that there is nothing they can do for him.

[robin3]

Could just be dehydration....I get a sort of tenseness in my legs at night but drinking water takes it way.

[scampadoodle]

Yes, when I got them as a child they were explained away as 'growing pains' . However, no Calpol or neurofen in the 1970s so I just had to suffer!