Growing pains or something else?

[IsabelC]

My 7yo has had periodic bouts of knee joint pain at night time for a long time. When she first started complaining about it, I took her for a checkup and was told that there was nothing wrong with her, and it was most likely growing pains.

 

However, the discomfort has apparently gotten worse. Dd says that her knees now hurt 'constantly', and that her hip joints hurt too, and sometimes other areas. She also says she is getting muscular weakness and tiredness. Yesterday she said that the reason her writing has gotten messy is because her (dominant) left hand gets tired after a few words and she has been trying to write with her right hand.

 

She has also regressed to wetting her pants after not doing that for a long time. We had thought that this might be an emotional issue, but then she said that she sometimes pees when she laughs. I've never heard of stress incontinence in a little kid, so with that and the other issues I'm starting to panic and wondering whether she has some horrific wasting illness.

 

Dh laughed at me when I told him how worried I was. He said that maybe she has some minor pain and a bit of anxiety but mostly she's just a bit of a hypochondriac and she's trying to get more attention from me.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Hotdrink

[NanceXToo]

Here are a couple of links that might be helpful:

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/symptom-checker/DS00671/SYMPTOM=2ABD3551-2A5D-9994-EB064D62506EB87A&TAB=Joint%2520pain%2520or%2520muscle%2520pain

 

And

 

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=38256

 

I know my son complains of leg pains sometimes, and feet pains sometimes, especially at night- I think these are growing pains. He's never indicated joint pain specifically though. Hope it stops either way or you find answers, it's horrid seeing your children in pain!

[Corraleno]

Well, if you were in the US, I would tell you to get her tested for Lyme disease ASAP, but I see that you're in Australia, and I don't know if there are any similar tick-borne diseases there. But I would absolutely take it seriously. It might just be a growth spurt, but if it continues to get worse, and months from now you discover that it's something that needs treatment, then you will never stop kicking yourself. Ask me how I know. :glare:

 

DS had flu symptoms a couple of months after a trip back east, followed by increasing tiredness, spaciness, and just general feeling-crappy-ness that everyone chalked up to puberty and a huge growth spurt. Then his knee became sore and swollen, which DH said was probably a TKD injury. To make a very long story very short, after 6-7 months of appointments with assorted specialists, a multitude of blood tests, and a couple of completely false diagnoses, we finally discovered that he had chronic Lyme disease. He has been on antibiotics for 6 months now, and will probably be on them for many months to come. It will be years before we know how much, if any, permanent long-term damage has been done. :(

 

I would take your DD to the doctor and keep asking questions until someone gives you answers that make sense. If the first answer you get doesn't make sense to you, then try another doctor. Don't let anyone just dismiss it as "probably nothing." It's clearly something, even if it's growth related and not disease related, and someone needs to explain to you what that something is. And definitely don't let anyone tell you that your DD is just faking it to get attention. :glare:

 

Jackie

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Well, if you were in the US, I would tell you to get her tested for Lyme disease ASAP, but I see that you're in Australia, and I don't know if there are any similar tick-borne diseases there. But I would absolutely take it seriously. It might just be a growth spurt, but if it continues to get worse, and months from now you discover that it's something that needs treatment, then you will never stop kicking yourself. Ask me how I know. :glare:

 

DS had flu symptoms a couple of months after a trip back east, followed by increasing tiredness, spaciness, and just general feeling-crappy-ness that everyone chalked up to puberty and a huge growth spurt. Then his knee became sore and swollen, which DH said was probably a TKD injury. To make a very long story very short, after 6-7 months of appointments with assorted specialists, a multitude of blood tests, and a couple of completely false diagnoses, we finally discovered that he had chronic Lyme disease. He has been on antibiotics for 6 months now, and will probably be on them for many months to come. It will be years before we know how much, if any, permanent long-term damage has been done. :(

 

I would take your DD to the doctor and keep asking questions until someone gives you answers that make sense. If the first answer you get doesn't make sense to you, then try another doctor. Don't let anyone just dismiss it as "probably nothing." It's clearly something, even if it's growth related and not disease related, and someone needs to explain to you what that something is. And definitely don't let anyone tell you that your DD is just faking it to get attention. :glare:

 

Jackie

 

:iagree: A 7 yr. old isn't likely to be faking all of that.

[IsabelC]

I know it sounds mean to suspect that she might be massively exaggerating, but this is my very imaginative and very suggestable child. (For example, once she spilt ketchup on herself, thought it was blood, and started crying about how terribly it hurt. Until said ketchup was wiped off.)

 

I am taking her to the doctor (no offence, Dr. Hive), but what should I be saying if we don't find out anything? Would it be worth asking for x-rays/ultrasound of the joints?

[Jennifer in MI]

Well, when my dd had something similar in her legs (she had started limping!), my usually very calm doctor sent us for xrays of her joint. I didn't google, so I don't know what they were looking for, but I knew it must have been bad if my doc sent us for xrays that fast!

 

It ended up being nothing and it went away in a week or so.

 

In your case, I'd definitely be be asking for some more testing - bloodwork and an ultrasound just to rule anything out.

 

:grouphug:

[clarkacademy]

I know it sounds mean to suspect that she might be massively exaggerating, but this is my very imaginative and very suggestable child. (For example, once she spilt ketchup on herself, thought it was blood, and started crying about how terribly it hurt. Until said ketchup was wiped off.)

 

I am taking her to the doctor (no offence, Dr. Hive), but what should I be saying if we don't find out anything? Would it be worth asking for x-rays/ultrasound of the joints?

 

I had BAD growing pains as a child, I mean on the floor in tears kinda thing. I didn't want to even go outside and play. That being said it was always in the muscle area. I remember going to the doctor and him telling my mom to rub my legs down with alcohol.

 

I have no idea why but it worked. Every time it worked amazing! I also can remember him telling my mother that if the pain ever changed and was in my joints to bring me back because that was not growing pains. I know that medical opinions change all the time. I know they are way different than when I was a kid but I have always been told by older people that growing pains are not in the joints.

[Mommyof4ks]

My dd had what was considered very bad growing pains by our pedi, but she never complained that much. We have had pain turn out to be growing pains and pain turn out to be very bad, so I think you are doing the right thing by taking her in.

[Chris in VA]

Because there seems to be weakness with the pain, I think I'd go for bloodwork. :grouphug::grouphug:

[Denisemomof4]

Because there seems to be weakness with the pain, I think I'd go for bloodwork. :grouphug::grouphug:

 

:iagree: it doesn't sound like growing pains to me. Rheumatoid arthritis???

 

Stress incontinence does happen in kids. If they've waited too long to go to the bathroom and laugh real hard...........;)

[Tess in the Burbs]

I agree get tested for Lyme's. My dd has leg pain at night as well as knee joint pain. Her Lyme test was negative but now we know it's growing pain. I was advised to let her have kid advil to help.

 

Interestingly, dd is not on the gymnastics team and the knee/leg pain hasn't been mentioned in a long time......

[TXMomof4]

Because there seems to be weakness with the pain, I think I'd go for bloodwork. :grouphug::grouphug:

 

:iagree: And the fact that joints are involved would worry me too. DD has terrible growing pains, but it's always her shins and thighs - not her knees or hips. Heat and massage always make it feel better.

[Denisemomof4]

I agree get tested for Lyme's. My dd has leg pain at night as well as knee joint pain. Her Lyme test was negative but now we know it's growing pain. I was advised to let her have kid advil to help.

 

Interestingly, dd is not on the gymnastics team and the knee/leg pain hasn't been mentioned in a long time......

 

Tess, Lymes testing is so inaccurate. I kniw VA has seen a lot of LD. If you start to notice other symptoms or see the joint pain return, p,ease take your dd to a Lymes literate dr. They call lymes the travelling disease because the symptoms change and migrate through the body. My dd, diagnosed with lymes, has pain that comes and goes.

 

I hope your dd's pain doesn't return!

[PuddleJumper1]

My son's Celiac Disease presented as joint pain and headaches along with brain fog and trouble sleeping. Ped thought we might be looking at JRA. We were sent first to the Rheumatologist who called it Pain Amplification Syndrome for lack of a better diagnosis. He was finally properly diagnosed after we got to GI (through blood work and biopsy). As soon as he went gluten free all of his symptoms disappeared.

 

If she is having blood work it is well worth having them check for Celiac just to be sure.

[IsabelC]

I didn't think we had Lyme's in the southern hemisphere?

 

I have actually been thinking of trying a gfcf diet for all the kids. Dunno about celiac, I would have expected more bowel symptoms (she has been complaining about bellyaches, but nothing severe, although she has always tended towards a sluggish digestive system), or is it possible to have it only mildly? She actually seems to be almost gluten addicted iykwim, as in she will often beg for more and more bread, and wants piles and piles of rice. We've been working on having one non grain meal per day.

[Tiramisu]

If it's something like rheumatoid arthristis, you will usually see pain in joints on both sides of the body symmetrically. You may also see inflammation. Lupus also causes joint pain. A pediatrician can order blood tests that may help determine if these could be potential issues.

 

I also thought of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. With this, you will see hypermobile joints (very flexible) and sometimes dislocations. This runs in a friend's family and many of their children have painful joints from a young age. We have some hypermobility in our family, and my dd has had issues with writing. Her hands become tired and cramp because she has to make more of an effort to stabilize her joints while writing.

 

Fatigue can be an issue with all of the disorders above. I'm not sure about the muscle weakness.

 

With both the joint pain and the muscle weakness, I think you need to act on your mommy instinct.

 

P.S. Sometimes kids can get leaks due to mild bladder infections that would be otherwise unnoticeable. It couldn't hurt to get her pee checked out. That could make you tired and achy, too.

Edited September 29, 2012 by NJKelli

[Trez]

My oldest ds14 used to have very bad pains just below his knees. He wouldn't always complain at night but I remember that sometimes he would be running around at the park and just kind of fall over and complain of pain. Some suggested shin splints but Xrays didn't show anything. He did outgrow the pain but it took a little while (he is now referred to as string bean since he is VERY tall :)).

[J-rap]

I would definitely have it checked out, because she seems to have several symptoms which may or may not be related.

 

When my daughter was about that age, both she and her friend developed severe knee pain which lasted one to two years. I remember being on a vacation where my daughter's knees were so painful, we had to take turns giving her piggy back rides.

 

Her friend was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease or syndrome, which has to do with a growth spurt happening and the bones in the knee area not keeping up. It can be very painful, and can take a year or two before the bone growth catches up and the pain is gone. (I'm over simplifying it, of course.) We assumed that this is what our daughter had as well. Eventually the pain went away and she has never had a problem since. Anyway, something to consider.

 

But given your daughter's various symptoms -- and the weakness she is experiencing -- I'd take her in to rule out anything that might need attention.

[IsabelC]

Her friend was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease or syndrome, which has to do with a growth spurt happening and the bones in the knee area not keeping up. It can be very painful, and can take a year or two before the bone growth catches up and the pain is gone. (I'm over simplifying it, of course.) We assumed that this is what our daughter had as well. Eventually the pain went away and she has never had a problem since. Anyway, something to consider.

I can't believe I didn't think of that - only when I read your post did I suddenly remember that my brother had Osgood-Schlatter as a kid.

[Tiramisu]

I can't believe I didn't think of that - only when I read your post did I suddenly remember that my brother had Osgood-Schlatter as a kid.

 

Osgood-Schlatter usually hits in adolescence. The pain is immediately below the knee, as you may remember. I don't think it would explain weakness or hip pain, unless your dd is compensating in some way that's causing the other things to occur.

 

We just went through this with dd12. It wasn't Osgood-Schlatter; it was just simple growing pains. She had no weakness or pain elsewhere. The pain with growing pains can be vague in the knee area. I think it can originate in the ends of the thigh and shin bones where they are growing, but it's not very specific. This is according to the PT who checked out dd's knees.

 

There's also a knee problem that can hit teenage girls in adolescence called patellar alignment disorder, or something like that. :confused: I think kids with hypermobility may be prone to that. But I'm really guessing. That would be knee specific, too, and not necessarily explain the other pains and weakness.