Calling Dr. Hive: Leg Pain in 5 yo

[Plateau Mama]

I do have a call into the Dr. While I'm waiting I was wondering what Dr. Hive thought.

 

Last night around 6pm my 5yo started complaining about leg pain and limping. He said he tripped but couldn’t tell me where or when. He was fine all day. We had just gotten back from the grocery store and he was fine there. I chalked it up to growing pains. He made daddy carry him to bed.

 

This morning when he woke up I grabbed him by the ankles to pull him to the edge of bed and get him dressed. I do this every morning, it’s kind of a game. Well, today, I hardly pulled and he started screaming and crying.

 

When I dressed him he cried. He won’t put any weight on that leg. When I pick him up to carry him he cries when he has to move his leg to grab on and he wimpers/cried when I jostle him too much.

 

I’ve tried coercing him to use it by leaving the room and telling him to come get me if he needs me. I’ve tried playing trains to see if he’d join in. He refuses to do anything that would require him to use that leg.

 

This is not normal growing pains, is it?

 

PS – He normally a very easy going boy. Doesn’t cry for anything. Normally falls and gets right up and says I’m OK.

cry for anything. Normally falls and gets right up and says I’m OK.

[lamolina]

No, that does not sound like the growing pains both of my boys complain of. They are more of an internal ache that feels better if you rub the leg and are not made worse by touch. Hope your son is all better soon!

[Dandelion]

My kids have had some pretty severe pains that appeared to be growing pains. It's been enough to make them cry and/or limp at times.

 

Is there any swelling or bruising? If not, I'd probably wait another day or so before going to the doctor to see whether it clears on its own.

[momtoamiracle]

Has he had a cold recently? My son just got over a cold and a day or two after he complained of severe leg pain, was limping and crying. It's part of the virus, called acute benign myelitis, or something like that.

 

 

 

I'd take him into the dr tho, it could be something else.

[Paige]

Has he been sick recently? When my DS was younger he had a reaction like that a few times several days after he had had a virus. The pediatrician said it was a fairly common untreated post-strep reaction. I'm not sure if it is only in strep. When DS had it most of the time he hadn't been diagnosed with strep before it and from my perspective only had a few days of fever/cold symptoms. DS could not stand to bear any weight when he had it and it lasted about 24-48hrs.

[Plateau Mama]

He was sick with what we think was norovirus two weeks ago. 12 hours of vomiting and he was fine. Otherwise nothing. We are at the dr now.

[Momof3littles]

I think you should have him checked. FWIW, I am a PT and used to practice in pediatrics. Is it is his hip that hurts? Knee? Can he localize it at all? Even then, kids aren't totally reliable, and hip pain can be referred pain to the knee, for example.

[momtoamiracle]

Keep us posted!

[momtoamiracle]

Keep us posted!

[Plateau Mama]

He's saying upper leg but I'm wondering if its hip as well. He cries when I pick him up but it's when he opens his legs to wrap around me.

[Mommyof4ks]

We have had severe leg pain that was growing pains, a torn muscle in the hip, and well I won't even mention the last unless it is a issue for your son. It sounds like maybe the torn muscle in the hip thing. I forget what it is called, but there us a muscle surrounding the hip joint, and it can get torn and irratated. We were told rest and ice, and dd was better in a few days. It does not take much to cause the tears. I hope the news is good and something simple to treat.

[Plateau Mama]

Dr. thinks he pulled a groin muscle somehow. IBU, ice, heat, rest. If it's not better by the end of the week she will do further tests.

[Jennifer in MI]

This happened to my dd at 5. She wouldn't walk on it. Doctor sent us straight in for an X-ray. She ended up being fine, but I was a little freaked out!