Understanding Growing Pains in Children
Author Information
Author(s): Angela M Evans
Primary Institution: University of South Australia
Hypothesis
What is known about growing pains and how can they be better managed?
Conclusion
Growing pains is prevalent in young children, presents frequently in the health care setting where it is poorly managed and is continuing to be researched.
Supporting Evidence
- Growing pains affects approximately 37% of children aged four to six years.
- The diagnosis of growing pains is made clinically using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.
- Growing pains often runs in families, with a positive family history reported in 70% of cases.
- Health professionals are rarely consulted for growing pains, and common treatments include paracetamol and leg rubs.
- The best evidence for managing growing pains is a muscle stretching program.
Takeaway
Growing pains are common leg pains in kids that often happen at night, and doctors need to pay more attention to help kids feel better.
Methodology
The author searched the medical literature for articles on leg pains in children, yielding 22 original studies and 23 review articles.
Potential Biases
The only randomized controlled trial found was non-blinded and had small sample sizes.
Limitations
The review is based on a limited number of studies, many of which lack scientific rigor.
Participant Demographics
Children aged four to six years were primarily studied.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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