If your child is having trouble sleeping through the night because of pain in the legs and feet, it does not necessarily cause worry. It is usually not caused by a serious, underlying disease. What your son or daughter could be experiencing is growing pains and it is a normal part of their growth and development.
Why Growing Pains Cause Foot Pain
During your child’s growing years, they may experience pains in the area beginning from the front of the thighs and ending in the feet. Most physicians attribute this to growing pains. Although there is no scientific evidence that growth causes pain in the lower extremities, this tends to occur in children who are growing and developing. Growing pains is a common occurrence in children between the ages of three and 12.
The pain usually occurs at night, and your child describes it as sharp and throbbing. The pain intensity can be severe enough to disturb a child’s sleep. It is also episodic. It may baffle you that your child wakes up in the morning with no pain that was happening the night before. Foot pain due to growing pains is more likely to happen after a long day of physical activity. This is a clue to what could be contributing to the pain.
Growing pains is one of the most common causes of foot pain in children. There is no specific treatment for it, and the symptoms usually go away with at-home remedies. Rubbing the painful leg and foot and taking an over-the-counter (OTC) pain-reliever usually helps the symptoms pass.
When To See a Doctor
Suppose your child continues to have pain, and it’s accompanied by other symptoms, such as swelling and redness, fever, weakness, fatigue, and loss of appetite. In that case, the pain is likely due to other causes. Foot pain in children can be due to poor posture, gait imbalances, and structural issues. Your child needs to be evaluated by a doctor to prevent the long-term effects of these issues. Moreover, there are ways to manage your child’s symptoms to reduce the frequency and intensity of the nighttime episodes. It’s time to see a foot and ankle doctor if your child’s nighttime leg and foot pain cause daytime fatigue. The pain may also cause tardiness and absenteeism and poor participation in school activities.
As a parent, you don’t like to see your child in pain. Inadequate pain management in children can lead to altered pain sensitivity, anxiety, stress disorders, and destructive behavior patterns. A foot and ankle doctor can help your child be comfortable and happier during their developmental years and help them sleep peacefully through the night.
Treatment for Foot Pain in Children at Cincinnati, OH
The foot and ankle doctors at Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care can conduct a thorough evaluation to determine what is causing your child’s foot pain at night. We will rule out other conditions that could also cause the same symptoms and recommend an individualized treatment plan to help manage your child’s symptoms.
To schedule a consultation with a foot and ankle doctor, call one of our several locations that are most convenient to you or use our appointment request form.
