Growing pains? Can they wake your child up in the night?

[lukewarmcupoftea]

Just wondering if 'growing pains' are real? I remember them being talked about when I was a child, but can't remember reading anything about them since. DD1 (2.5), is usually a good sleeper, but woke up last night and complained of her foot hurting, a few nights ago it was her knee. Its odds on favourite that she's just trying her luck (especially since she had norovirus a couple of weeks ago and has discovered that we will come running with yummy medicine if she cries in the night), but on the off chance she really is being woken up by pains...?

some folks poopoo the notion of growing pains

I used to massage vicks into my boys legs at night, and gave calpol when they complained

HTH

I remember them keeping me awake when I was a teenager - hips and legs mostly.

DS1 4.5 often wakes at night with growing pains if we've been for a particularly long walk. I have to rub his legs until he goes back to sleep.

BTW he is a really good sleeper and never wakes normally so I know he's not trying it on.

Yes, I think we should take out shares calpol/calprofen at the moment (bad druggy mummy who loves her sleep emoticon). DD2 is practising extreme teething, and so is living on a diet of strawberry flavoured drugs - which could be another reason DD1 is waking up complaining, wanting to join in too. Hmmm, maybe I'm being too soft again...

What did the Vicks do BoysAreLike Dogs?

I don't know if "growing pains" are real in that growth shouldn't hurt. But I definitely had pains in my legs when young which were called that. I was reading that they are linked to hypermobility and Restless Legs Syndrome when older (which fits for me). So, if she's quite bendy she may well have painful legs sometimes

My dh can remember being about 3 and absolutely in tears with growing pains at night time. Mainly in his legs.

Then the other week my ds (2.6) who has always slept beautifully at night woke up screaming that his leg hurt. He wasn't trying it on because he didn't want to come down stairs or do anything, just wanted me to rub his leg for him. He was genuinely in pain. Then the other night it was the same in his other leg but whilst he was having tea. I think it can be really painful for them and he is growing really fast at the moment so I am sure it must be growing pains. Very sad cos apart from rubbing it and giving nurofen there's not much you can do and it's so hard to explain to them when they are so young . But errrm yeah, long answer but I do think it can wake them up lol.

Oooo, that's a really interesting point said. DH has restless legs syndrome (I can't even sleep in the same bed as him they're so bad ) - so quite possible DD1 could have something like that (I think it runs (ha ha) in the family, MIL has it too). Doh. Don't know how bendy she is, don't really know what to compare her to, she's quite agile though (like a bloomin' monkey (cheeky variety) most of the time!).

Will try to rub the pain away though rather than continuing to pour medicine down her!

Thanks meandjoe - also helpful to know. As you say, she wasn't up for reading a story or any of the other night time shennanigans we sometimes have, was back down in bed within 20 mins or so. Will give her the benefit of the doubt then!

I used to have them at around 8 - in my calves, knees and shins.

DS1 started having them about a year ago (he is 9) - mainly after a day of lots of walking (and he's got skinny little legs). I give him a massage and some calpol

I have restless legs sometimes too.

Vicks is a bit like deep heat for tinies IMO

Also the massage action helps, I think, and also there is the placebo effect - you are doing 'something' to help thus it helps QED .

IYSWIM

HTH

I've never had them but DD - 6 often wakes crying with pains in her legs - I use a lavendar oil spray and it seems to help - but then like BALD says it could be placebo effect.

I used to have them as a kid and still get them every now and again. And my DD aged 4 gets them in her feet esp at night, they wake her up. No idea what they are but definitely real!

Massage definitely helps but the best thing is stretching - like the sort of leg/ankle stretches you do to warm up at the gym!

My ds1 (5) sometimes wakes up complaining of very bad pain in one of his legs or feet. Sometimes he describes them as feeling hot. Massage is the only thing that seems to help, but I will try the lavender spray or vicks. I've also wondered if a hot water bottle would help. He seems to get it for a few nights in a row then not for ages, so growing pains would make sense.

My DS(7) has woken with growing pains from about age 5. My DH also suffered terrible growing pains as a child. I give DS nurofen and a warm oaty bag.