Growing pains in children

Growing pains are the most common form of recurrent musculoskeletal pains in childhood and are present in 10-20% of children, mainly between the ages of 3-12 years. The diagnosis is based on typical historical clinical characteristics with a normal physical examination. The etiology is still unknown but current theories include low pain thresholds, as in fibromyalgia and local overuse pain that is supported by the finding of low bone strength in painful regions by ultrasound and hypermobility in many children with growing pains. There is also an associated familial and patient behavioral element. Treatment is conservative with patient and parental education on the benign outcome of these pains the most important element, in order to decrease anxiety.