Why do the legs hurt in a child of 6 years. The child complains of pain in the legs

When a child's legs hurt, it causes a lot of excitement and anxiety in parents. Pain in the legs can overtake a baby at 3 years old, it can also hurt first graders and teenagers, in general, children of different ages are prone to such painful sensations. Along with this, pain can manifest itself in different places, most often complaints are received that:

the child has pain in the calves of the legs,
leg hurts in the thigh
sore heel,
it hurts to step on the foot
teenager has knee pain
The child's legs hurt at night.

The reasons why a child has leg pain are varied.
Such a problem can have many different manifestations, many of which are the source of serious diseases, and that is why adults should listen to the child, and pay special attention if he has pain in his legs.

From infancy to adolescence, the body grows daily. During the period of intensive growth, a whole series of changes takes place in the child's body. The main changes take place in the bone tissue, in the musculoskeletal apparatus, in the structure of the vessels, and the metabolism increases. All these changes, together with other external and internal factors, can be an incentive for the appearance of pain in the legs in children.

What should I do if my child has leg pain? Since there are a number of factors that are dangerous for the subsequent development of a growing organism, they must be detected and eliminated in a timely manner. You can not lightly accept the child's complaints about pain in the legs and hit on self-treatment.

What to do when the child's legs hurt? If such a complaint recurs and you notice lethargy in the child, the temperature rises, or the baby is clearly painful to step on his foot, you should immediately consult a doctor, since delaying treatment may affect the baby's health.

Specialists with a clear demonstration of pain in the legs and in the presence of other signs of the disease prescribe a thorough laboratory diagnosis of the child.

For the study, diagnostic methods are used:

general blood analysis;
detailed blood test;
Analysis of urine;
temperature is measured;
radiography of joints, bones;
arthroscopy;
angioscanning.

When examining and questioning a patient or his parents, the doctor is interested in such symptoms and manifestations that can cause pain in the legs, namely:

infectious diseases that the child had previously;
certain injury to the knee, leg, joint;
intestinal upset (the child has a stomach ache);
heat;
significant swelling and swelling in the joints;
child has knee pain

What are the causes of leg pain in children?

age factor. This source of pain in the legs is considered one of the most prevalent in children, since in this phase of active growth and increased metabolism, the bones, the muscular-ligamentous region, and the vessels that supply them with food are subject to intense changes.

Children before the puberty phase add the length of their body with the main part due to the growth of the legs, the shins and feet are actively growing. The blood vessels that supply the bones and muscles do not have time to guarantee sufficient blood flow, as they contain insufficiently extensible fibers, the number of which increases only by the age of 10 years.

During the daily activity of the child (constant load on the legs, knees, feet), blood circulation increases, which favors the growth and development of bone tissue. But at night, at the stage of the absence of such activity, the vital activity of arterial and venous vessels decreases significantly, the saturation of blood flow in these areas decreases, and therefore pain occurs.

You can relieve such pain very simply: you need to massage or stroke the painful parts, thus increasing blood flow to the legs.

At the age of 2-3 years, the child often has pain in the knees and calf muscle tissue. Such pains are justified by an inadequate supply of calcium and phosphorus to areas of bone tissue growth. Most likely, these trace elements enter the body, but are poorly absorbed in the body.

orthopedic defects. Often, the sources of pain in the legs in children are some orthopedic pathologies and defects, including the omission of the arches of the foot, incorrect posture, kyphosis, scoliosis. With these problems, the center of gravity shifts, and therefore, maximum pressure is applied to a particular area of \u200b\u200bthe leg.

Defects in the development of the hip joints

In some cases, the source of pain can be congenital pathologies of the hip joints and ailments in which a degenerative-dystrophic process develops in bone tissues, among them are:

aseptic necrosis of the femoral head,
osteochondropathy of the tibial tuberosity and others.

The course of infection in the otolaryngological department. Numerous infections in the nasopharynx, for example, with tonsillitis, inflamed adenoids, caries, can also provoke pain in the legs in children. In this case, an increased temperature may be observed. Periodic examination of the oral cavity and nasopharynx by a specialist will allow timely detection of complications in this area and warn against negative consequences.

If a child has pain in the knee or other joints, it may be a characteristic feature of rheumatism or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Such diseases may be accompanied by some abnormalities of the endocrine system, such as thyroid disease, adrenal disease, or even diabetes.

Some blood diseases are also accompanied by pain in the legs, arthritis of the knee and ankle joints. In these cases, you may need to consult an oncologist or phthisiatrician.

If a child has sore legs at night, this may indicate neurocirculatory dystonia of the hypotonic type. In addition to pain in the legs, the child often has a stomach ache, discomfort in the heart area, headache, lack of air and a general sleep disorder.

Genetic defects of the cardiovascular system can again be reflected in the legs. With some congenital aortic valve defects, aortic coarctation, a decrease in blood flow in the lower extremities is manifested, which will directly affect the general health of the child, and his fatigue in the legs.

The same sources of the disease include the genetic underdevelopment of the connective tissue, which is part of the structure of the valvular apparatus of the heart, venous vessels, and ligaments. This can contribute to the appearance of varicose veins, flattening of the arches of the foot, hypermobility of the joints, nephroptosis.

Joint pain in viral diseases (fever, SARS, acute respiratory infections) is a fairly common symptom. Antipyretic and antiviral pharmacological drugs will help relieve pain and alleviate the course of the disease.

Lower extremity injuries

A bruise or injury to the leg is perhaps the most common source of pain in this area in babies. At this age, children lead a very active lifestyle, little fidgets strive to get another bump or abrasion on their leg, knee, foot, or heel. Such injuries usually heal after some time without third-party intervention.

In case of pain in the joint, which is accompanied by swelling and redness of the affected area, you should immediately consult a doctor, since such a course of the disease can indicate an infection, which can cause a joint disorder.

In this or that case, you should listen to the complaints of your kids, observe their behavior, walking, monitor the quality of the child's shoes. Along with this, it is necessary to provide the baby with a complete diet, including a variety of nutrients, vitamins and trace elements, which are essential for the normal growth and development of your children.

A child has foot pain for many reasons. This may be due not only to the growth of the baby himself, but also to various pathologies in the joints, bones, muscles, etc. In addition, leg injuries should not be ruled out, as children are very mobile.

As soon as the baby began to complain of pain, it is necessary to try not only to alleviate his condition, but also to find out the cause of the disease. It is best to go to the hospital for a diagnosis and the choice of the most optimal treatment for the baby.

Causes of pain in the feet

There are many reasons why children have leg pain, including feet. This may be due to a variety of processes in the body of the baby:

Bone growth.

The most common reason is the baby's childhood, as his bones, ligaments, muscles, blood vessels begin to actively grow, which feed the musculoskeletal system. Before puberty, the growth of the child increases mainly due to the intensive growth of the legs. It is the foot and lower leg that grow more intensively. Places with the most active growth need to be intensively provided with nutrients and oxygen. The blood vessels that wrap around the muscles and bones cannot handle such a large load because they do not have enough elastic fibers. Their number becomes sufficient only in 8-10 years. Blood circulation improves with active movement, and when the baby sleeps, the intensity of blood circulation decreases, which causes pain due to a sharp drop.

Orthopedic pathological phenomena in the legs.

The causes of pain can be various pathologies in the development of the legs. For example, it may be associated with scoliosis, posture problems, flat feet. In such cases, the center of gravity shifts, which leads to changes in pressure on the feet. For example, this may be due to the pathology of the pelvic joints. In addition, osteochondropathy also has a negative impact. Pain in the feet can cause Schlatter-Ostud disease and Perthes disease.

Infectious processes of a chronic nature.

A child in the joints may have foci of inflammatory processes that are caused by various infections. Moreover, the infection could go to the feet with tonsillitis, caries, adenoiditis, influenza and other diseases. In this case, inflammation in the joints is a secondary disease, that is, it is considered a complication. By the way, if the leg hurts so much, then this may be the first symptom of arthritis or rheumatism. These diseases can also be caused by diabetes mellitus, problems with the functioning of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland. This can lead to cartilage tissue being replaced by bony growths, due to which the motor mobility of the joints will be impaired.

Ossalgia.

This process most often makes itself felt at night. In addition to pain in the legs, the child feels discomfort in the abdomen, in the region of the heart. There is a headache, sleep is disturbed. The child feels a lack of oxygen.

Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels

Some malformations of the blood vessels and heart can also lead to discomfort and pain in the legs. In this case, a small child will begin to stumble, often fall. He will often complain to his mother that he is tired and his legs hurt, they do not obey him. You need to check the child's pulse in the arms and legs. With problems of the heart and blood vessels, the pulse when checking on the legs will be poorly felt or absent altogether.

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What should parents do if their child has foot pain?

Be sure to listen to the complaints of the child and look after him. It is necessary to choose comfortable shoes. It is best if the insole is orthopedic to prevent the development of various diseases of the legs and back. It is not necessary for the child to be constantly in sneakers, no matter how comfortable they are. Shoes should have a firm sole, but they should be soft on top. Be sure to buy shoes in size.

The child should not sit all the time. Let it be better to actively play on the street, as this will only strengthen the muscles and bones. Food must be complete. It includes cereals, legumes, fruits, herbs, berries and vegetables. Useful is fish and seafood.

Parents should pay much attention to the well-being of the baby and monitor his health. At the first complaints, you need to help or consult a doctor. If the legs hurt after the flu, sore throat, diarrhea and other diseases, then this should be reported to the doctor.

If the pain in the legs is caused by the normal growth of the baby, then you can relieve the pain with a light massage that will help you relax. Warm baths in various decoctions will be useful. You can prepare a compress and leave it on a sore spot for a short time. In more severe cases, it is allowed to use Diclofenac or Butadion in the form of ointments at bedtime. If the pain during growth is too pronounced, then it is allowed to drink a tablet of Paracemol, Ibuprofen or Nurofen. But you need to drink them in an amount 3 times less than it should be according to the dosage for the baby.

A five-year-old child complains of pain in the legs at night, tosses and turns, and cannot fall asleep for a long time. This behavior of the baby scares the parents, makes them start looking for the causes of pain. It becomes especially alarming when it is not possible to establish the true cause: the tests are normal, studies say that the child is healthy, but the pain does not go away.

Such an “incomprehensible” ailment in medicine is called “growing pains”, they occur in 15% of children. They appear in babies at 4-5 years old and can disturb (intermittently) up to 12-13 years of age. This pain does not have a clear “fixation”: today the child can feel it in the foot, tomorrow - in the lower leg, ankle, forearm or shoulder. It occurs suddenly, for no apparent reason (bruises, sprains, fractures), worries children at night and in the evening. You can distinguish growing pains from others by a number of signs:

Occurs only during rest.
The pains are not sharp (aching, pulling).
The sore spot does not swell, does not turn red.
The pain is not accompanied by fever, rashes.

What causes growing pains in the legs in children?

Modern medicine does not have an unequivocal position on the causes of growing pains in children. There are two popular theories explaining why a child’s arms and legs hurt: supporters of the first believe that aching pains arise due to the periosteum, which simply does not keep up with the rapid growth of the limbs, adherents of the second are sure that growth pains appear in weak muscles and ligaments child. They disturb children during periods of active growth (5-6, 9-10, 13-14 years old), they are also associated with excessive stress.

It has been observed that growing pains most often bother children:

physically active (athletes);
with (flat-valgus feet);
with hypermobility of ligaments and joints.

Growing pains in the legs in children occur at night or in the evening when the body is relaxed. By themselves, they are not dangerous and eventually disappear without a trace. However, without consulting a doctor, it is sometimes difficult to find the true cause of the pain.

When do growing pains in the legs in children require a visit to the doctor?

Under growing pains, other diseases can “mask”. You need expert advice if:

the child complains of prolonged pain in only one limb;
the child's condition worsens, he begins to limp;
pain disturbs not only at night, but also during the day;
the child has lost his appetite, he is losing weight;
joints and muscles swell;
the child complains of a headache.

How to help if the arms and legs of a child hurt?

Growth pains are short-term and not dangerous, therefore no specific treatment is required. Severe pain that interferes with normal rest and restful sleep of the child can be eased with:

massage. The hands and feet of the child should be rubbed and stroked. Light pinching and patting of the "sick" area is allowed. Massage will increase blood circulation, relieve spasm;
warming. It is better to warm in traditional ways: a warm bath with salt or herbs, a warm towel or diaper, a heating pad. On the legs of the child, you can wear high socks or socks. Special warming gels, creams or ointments can be used on the recommendation of a doctor;
exercises. Some children with growing pains are helped by the “birch” (stand with high legs) or “bike” exercise. Sometimes, to improve the condition, you can simply walk around the apartment, jump;
diets. Every child needs a balanced diet, and during the period of intensive growth, vegetables and fruits, cereals, milk, legumes, meat, fish are especially needed;
medicines. For pain in the limbs, the doctor may prescribe a pain reliever. The dosage is calculated individually, taking into account the age of the child.

Growing pains in children are a completely normal phenomenon that you just need to “outgrow”. They cause discomfort, but at the same time indicate that the child is actively growing, at such moments he needs the love and care of loved ones.

The formation of the child's foot begins in infancy, despite the fact that most children master walking after one year of age. The bone tissue of the foot and lower extremities is probably the most intensively and rapidly developing part of the child's skeleton. And that is why pain in the feet and legs is far from a rare occurrence in childhood.

Vertebroneurologists of the Kyiv "Clinic of Dr. Ignatiev" pay special attention to the condition of the child's legs and feet. Indeed, often their pathological condition signals the presence of serious disorders in the overlying structures of the skeleton and the whole organism. The first sign of pathology is most often pain, therefore, with any discomfort in the feet of children, it is better not to postpone a visit to a pediatric vertebrologist. After making an appointment with a specialist, you must come to the reception and get a detailed consultation.

The most common causes of foot pain in children can be:

Banal injuries - bruises, sprains, fractures;
Orthopedic pathologies such as flat feet - in such patients, the center of gravity of the body is usually displaced for various reasons. This may be overweight, impaired posture, weakness of the muscular apparatus of the back and lower extremities. Often, the pathology has a hereditary origin or is associated with congenital pathologies of the musculoskeletal and tendon-ligamentous system.
Long-term chronic infections with localization in the nasopharynx, oral cavity and other places remote from the legs can lead to the development of an autoimmune pathology, which manifests itself in the form of arthrosis and arthritis of the small joints of the feet.
Congenital and acquired pathologies of the cardiovascular system lead to impaired blood supply to the peripheral parts of the body, including the feet - pain occurs as a result of constant hypoxia and is accompanied by cold extremities, impaired sensitivity and other signs.
Lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet can cause convulsive contractions of the muscles of the foot and, accordingly, pain. In addition, pains of this kind appear with increased stress on the feet and legs - for example, when playing sports, lifting weights, etc.
Severe infections can lead to the development of a septic process and the formation of arthritis in the foot - usually such phenomena are associated with an extremely low level of immunity, an allergic predisposition of the patient.
Pain in the foot can also characterize the state of acute intoxication, especially with viral diseases.
Stress, strong emotions, physical overwork also often lead to severe pain in the foot.

Foot examination for complaints of pain

As a rule, pain is detected as the child's unwillingness to walk, crying and irritation when resting on the leg. Swelling and redness in the area of the joints is visually noted, if it has place of arthritis. Often there is no redness, only a difference in volume is noticeable when comparing two legs - sick and healthy, since the pain is more often one-sided.

Palpation can reveal more precise localization of pain, while protective muscle tension or contraction associated with convulsions can be noted. But one should not rely solely on this type of research. The most reliable result can be obtained with x-rays of the foot - the pictures will clearly indicate the presence of trauma, arthritis, osteomyelitis and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

A child's illness is a test not only for him, but also for his parents. Sometimes a small problem turns into a big problem. If a child for no apparent reason began to complain of pain in the legs, anxiety intensifies. The sooner the causes of the pathology are found and treatment begins, the better. Pain in the legs is sometimes the result of normal physiological processes, but sometimes signal the need for urgent medical intervention.

When a child complains of pain in the legs, it must be shown to an experienced specialist

Possible causes of pain and accompanying symptoms

Table of possible reasons why a child's legs hurt:

The reasons	Why is this happening?	Associated symptoms
growing up	The body of the child increases in size. The growth of the bones of the arms, legs, lower legs and feet causes discomfort.	None.
Orthopedic pathologies	Weak musculoskeletal apparatus of the foot.	Fatigue, shifting the center of gravity when walking.
Osteochondropathy of the tibial tuberosity	The presence of physical activity in children. It usually appears at 10-15 years of age.	A lump just below the knee, which hurts when exerted.
Perthes disease (we recommend reading:)	congenital pathology.	Pain, lameness.
infections	Temperature and inflammation cause pain and aches in the joints.	Symptoms of SARS, tonsillitis.
Arthritis	Not fully explored.	Periodic pain (legs, arms, back hurt), hyperthermia, weakness.
Rheumatism	An increase in the number of streptococci.	Headaches, fatigue. Rarely - shortness of breath, back pain.
Cardiopsychoneurosis	A weak autonomic system is usually a consequence of stress.	Wandering pains for no apparent reason (most often the heart or stomach hurts), insomnia.
Injuries	Mechanical damage.	Swelling of the leg, hematoma.
Pathologies of the cardiovascular system	Pain occurs due to a violation of the process of blood supply to the legs.	Fatigue, pallor, pain in the heart.
Lack of vitamins and minerals	There is no "building material" for normal bone growth.	Cramps, muscle pain, weak bones.

growing pains

Growing pains - harmless temporary pains of a growing child

One of the common factors that cause pain in the legs in children aged 3-9 years is growing pains. At rest, the discomfort disappears. Typical symptoms:

normal body temperature;
the absence of any changes in the skin on the arms and legs (edema, redness, etc.);
during the day there is no pain, or they are insignificant;
the localization of painful sensations does not change.

If the child is characterized by most of the items from this list, then he is faced with a normal physiological process. Why is this happening? The answer lies in the asynchronous development of muscles and bones. To alleviate unpleasant symptoms, you can use a warm bath or a relaxing massage. Of the medicines, if necessary, Diclofenac (ointment), Nurofen or Ibuprofen will help.

Orthopedic pathologies

The vast majority of orthopedic pathologies accompanied by pain in the legs are various types of flat feet, poor posture, dysplasia or other pathological changes in the hip joints (we recommend reading:). Localization of pain - the lower part of the leg (foot, shin), with loads, the symptoms intensify. No changes in the skin are observed.

Injuries

Pain in the legs of a child, especially in boys, can be the cause of an overly active lifestyle (more in the article:)

If the child is distinguished by mobility and a "combat" character, then this is the source of pain in the legs. Injuries, sprains, bruises - all this is the result of an overly active lifestyle. In this case, nothing needs to be done, the consequences of minor injuries go away on their own. If the damage turned out to be serious and led to lameness, contact a traumatologist - instrumental diagnosis of the causes of discomfort is necessary.

Chronic infectious processes

Most common infections:

Lack of trace elements and vitamins

For constant growth and development, the child's body needs "building materials": proteins, fats, carbohydrates, acids, vitamins and trace elements. If any substances are not enough, pathologies arise.

For example, pain in the legs for no apparent reason may be due to a lack of:

calcium;
magnesium;
fluorine;
vitamins.

Imbalance of trace elements often occurs in children aged 2-7 years. At this time, the rate of development of the child is highly dependent on nutrition. Pain caused by nutritional deficiencies occurs at night (in the form of cramps in the calf area) or when walking (pain in the foot or below the knees). Weak regeneration is also noted: even after the slightest bruise, the legs hurt for a long time, and this causes a lot of inconvenience. To fix the problem, try to adjust the diet yourself or consult a doctor.

Cardiopsychoneurosis

Dystonia - muscle spasms. There are many factors that cause pathology: heredity, stress, past diseases. Neurocirculatory dystonia is characterized by sharp spasms that hinder movement. In this case, the pain goes away on its own. Companions of the disease are disorders of the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, bradycardia. Therapy includes taking sedatives.

Congenital cardiovascular diseases

Congenital cardiovascular diseases can cause leg pain in children in their first years of life

With malformations of the cardiovascular system, blood circulation is disturbed. As a result, the legs become weak. Congenital pathologies are detected in the first year of a baby's life, but if doctors have not found any violations, then they can be identified independently by the following signs:

from a very early age, the legs hurt in the morning and at night;
at rest, the pain disappears, but when walking it appears again;
Heart rate and respiratory rate are outside the normal range (we recommend reading:);
the pulse in the legs is weakly palpable;
painful sensations cover the legs below the knee and feet.

stress

Stress is a person's companion throughout life. It is more difficult for children to cope with it than for adults, so psychosomatic diseases arise. At 3-4 years old, stress is caused by adaptation to the outside world. At the age of 5-6, school years begin, and the baby has to join a new team. Help your child during this time. Listen when he complains. Try to find out about his experiences in time and deal with them together.

Other reasons

The described list of causes of pain is not exhaustive. Any disease affects many internal organs and can affect the condition of the joints. Disruptions in the production of hormones also lead to pain in various parts of the body.