Growing pains - when will it end?

[paulapantsdown]

My DS2, now 7 1/2 has been having growing pains in both legs for about 3 years now. When they first started we had all sort of scans/blood tests/hospital appts etc, where nothing appeared to be wrong, but the peadeatrician basically told us that although it is not officially recognised as a condition, it was growing pains, and that he would eventually grow out of it.

Well, over the last few months it seems to be getting worse and as well as the shin bone, he is getting pain in his thighs. The pain comes on in the evening usually, and a little rub and some calpol seems to help. However he cries soooo much and is really in a lot of pain until the medicine kicks in. He is a little tough kid usually, so I know its not faking.

The episodes seem to come after a lot of activity (with, being 7 is every day!), and precede a growth spurt. He grew 3cm over the school holidays, and his legs are getting so long.

Does anyone have experience of this? I had them as a child, but no way this bad. I was a lanky child and was 5'8" by 12. Will he have them until he is fully grown? thanks

Hi, I dont know whether this is related in anyway at all but my oldest sister suffered with exactly the same when she was younger..the doctor always put it down to growin pains and said it would wear off as she got older. She is now in her mid 20's and still regularly gets pains in both legs and knees. She's recently been to the doctor about it again and he completey 'fobbed' her off as there is no other symptoms as to what it could be and he cant put it down to 'growin pains' at 26 years old! She has long legs too. If your worried and think it is somethin more then demand more tests.

My son is also 7.5 and has been getting pains in his legs at night since he was 3 or 4. I have taken to him to the doctors a few times but Gp's always say it is probably growing pains and he will grow out of it. He does seem to be far more likely to get them after a day of high activity. He was up last night and was at a play centre after school for a party. We always give him paracetamol syrup and rub his legs and it always helps. When he gets back into bed, I pop in a warm wheat bag. Sometimes the pain is so bad he feels the need to walk around. So we go downstairs and I put on a cartoon and we stay down for 30 mins. Interestingly both me and my husband suffered from pains in the legs too.

Hi all my DS have experienced this my eldest who is now 15 was the worse i remember having to rub his legs to help ease the pain and give and calpol/nurofen . He's always been very tall he's over 6ft now !! my other ds had it too but not as bad now my youngest ds whos 4 has been getting it to in his ankles mainly .I used to find if theyd had a day were they were very active it would be worse. What helped mine was placing a heating pad on the spot where the pain is ,getting to strech their legs and massage the area.

The do grow out it then they reach puberty who said parenting was hard !!!! :o

My ds1 has just been diagnosed with benign hypermobility syndrome by a paediatric rheumatologist. I am not medically trained but the pains you describe very much fit with hypermobility.

For my ds, I notice his pains come on mainly in the evening and also wake him at night and are always far worse during the school holidays when we are much more physically active.

Just something to bear in mind.