5 year old keeps complaining of pains in her legs.

[longleggedgal]

Dd is a great sleeper and once she's asleep never wakes unless she's poorly, she would sleep through an earthquake. But tonight she has woken up crying with pains in her legs to the pain I've had to give her calpol for it. This isn't the first time either that she's been woken by this pain, the first time it happened I took her to the doctors and they said it was just growing pains. I've 3 older children and I don't ever remember them even complaining of growing pains let alone crying and being woken by it. She had bloods taken a a couple of months ago for a different issue and all came back fine. She's writhing about on the bed and can't keep still. Anyone else's kids suffer like this with growing pains? I'm going to take her back to the doctors in the morning as she's always complaining of pains in her lags and hip.

My twins used to get those. They have an orthopaedic consultant for another issue and I mentioned it to him and he said it's definitely growing pains. They often still get them if they've had a very active day. He told me to give them Calpol and not give it another moments thought. He said some kids get them badly and some don't but he's one of the top consultants in Ireland for kids hips and legs so that definitely put my mind at rest!

Now it might be also worth checking her hips too as my twins were born with dysplasia of the hip and that's actually why they were attending that consultant. He says it's not linked to the hip but just in case, as you specifically mentioned her hip too.

Yes, my daughter from the age of 3 started complaining of pains in her legs and every time I've taken her to the doctors I've been told it's growing pains! She is now 12 and is still the same - she has had blood tests a couple of times which showed a vitamin D deficiency
Despite taking the vitamin D supplements, she still gets the leg pains
Hope you get an answer from the docs

I used to get these when I was a child-they were really painful.

Sounds like leg cramp? I know I cry when I get woken from a leg cramp! 😂 Hope she's OK, maybe get her eating more bananas? (potassium helps with leg cramps).

Thank you all I'm definitely going to take her in the morning just to be on the safe, the hip pain is a recent thing but her dad as a child had an extra bone growing on his hip and it had to be removed so I'll mention that too. I didn't realise growing pains could be that awful tbh and I'll probably look a twat taking her back but google has got me worrying

@RaspberryBubblegum I thought that too but the pain tonight is on the top of both legs above the knee.

Is she very bendy ?

@AnyFucker no she isn't.

My youngest son gets really bad growing pains, he's inconsolable when it happens. My eldest never had them so like you I was quite concerned when they first started happening.

I was told that essentially when they have a very quick growth spurt the bones grow faster than the muscles and everything gets too tight.
We find lots of massage helps and a warm bath before bed if it's been a particularly active day.

They seem to be happening less as he gets older, I think he is better at stretching his legs himself when they start feeling achey. Still the odd really bad night where it's Calpol and a case of riding it out but less than when he was younger.

Both mine get this, around the knees and ankles. Sometimes calves or shins. I find ibuprofen and Deep Heat ease it a bit - also a hot water bottle.

My DD from 3 now 4 had legs pains, saw consultant who ruled out anything structural but bloods shows low vit D and she's been a lot better since taking supplements.
We just use boots own multivitamins as it has the higher vit d dose, some others I've checked have half the recommended.
Can't hurt to try if she's not already taking vitamins

Hi guys, I was wondering if growing pain affect only one leg. Because my 5 yo sometimes complains about pain on one leg and I worry too much. Thank you