A child experiencing leg pain at night

Is it Growing Pains or Something More? A Parent's Guide to Pediatric Limb Pain

Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"Understanding the common causes, diagnostic criteria, and when to seek further evaluation for your child's unexplained leg pain"

As a parent, seeing your child in pain is one of the hardest things. When they complain of aches and throbbing in their legs, especially at night, it's natural to worry about what could be wrong. While "growing pains" are a common explanation, it's essential to understand what that really means and when the pain might indicate something more serious.

Limb pain is a frequent reason for visits to the pediatrician. The challenge for doctors – and the source of anxiety for parents – is that not all limb pain has an obvious cause. When physicians can’t immediately pinpoint the issue, it can be unsettling. Parents want reassurance that their child's discomfort is being taken seriously and that all possible causes are being considered.

This article aims to provide clarity on the topic of unexplained limb pain in children, drawing on a study conducted in Bangladesh that examined the prevalence and characteristics of growing pains in a pediatric population. We'll explore what growing pains are, how they're diagnosed, what other conditions might be responsible for similar symptoms, and, most importantly, when to seek professional medical advice.

Understanding Growing Pains: More Than Just Aches

The term “growing pains” can be misleading. Despite the name, there’s no proven link between these pains and growth spurts. Instead, growing pains are classified as a type of non-inflammatory pain syndrome that commonly affects children aged 3 to 12. The good news is that growing pains are generally benign and tend to resolve by late childhood.

According to the study, which looked at children presenting with unexplained limb pain, a significant majority were diagnosed with growing pains (75.4%). This highlights how common the condition is. To accurately identify growing pains, doctors rely on specific criteria, primarily focusing on the child's symptoms:

Location: Pain typically occurs in both legs, often in the shins, calves, thighs, or behind the knees.
Timing: Pain usually strikes in the late afternoon, evening, or during the night, sometimes even waking the child.
Nature of Pain: The pain is often described as deep, throbbing, or aching.
Physical Exam: There are no objective signs of inflammation, such as swelling, redness, or tenderness, and lab tests are normal.

It’s important to remember that these pains are intermittent. A child might experience them for a few days or weeks, followed by pain-free periods lasting weeks or months. While the intensity can vary from mild to severe, the pain is usually gone by morning. The study also noted that growing pains were more common during periods of slow growth (86%) than rapid growth (14%).

When to Seek Medical Advice

While growing pains are usually harmless, it's essential to rule out other potential causes of limb pain. If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, it's crucial to consult a doctor for further evaluation: Pain that persists into the morning Pain associated with fever, swelling, redness, or tenderness Limping or difficulty walking Pain in only one limb Persistent pain that interferes with daily activities Unexplained weight loss or fatigue

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3329/jssmc.v5i1.16251, Alternate LINK

Title: Diagnosis Of Growing Pain In Bangladeshi Pediatric Population

Subject: General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Journal: Journal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College

Publisher: Bangladesh Journals Online (JOL)

Authors: Santosh Kumar Saha, Aditi Modak, Kamrunnahar Chowdhury, Md Saleh Uddin, Dilip Kumar Ghosh, Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mamun

Published: 2013-08-26

Everything You Need To Know

What are growing pains, and how are they typically diagnosed?

Growing pains are a type of non-inflammatory pain syndrome that commonly affects children aged 3 to 12. Despite the name, they are not directly linked to growth spurts. Doctors diagnose growing pains based on specific criteria, including pain in both legs (shins, calves, thighs, or behind the knees) that typically occurs in the late afternoon, evening, or at night. The pain is often described as deep, throbbing, or aching, and physical exams and lab tests are normal, showing no signs of inflammation. The study indicated 75.4% of unexplained limb pain were diagnosed as growing pains.

When should I be concerned about my child's leg pain and seek medical advice, even if it seems like growing pains?

While growing pains are generally harmless, certain symptoms warrant medical attention. These include pain that persists into the morning, pain accompanied by fever, swelling, redness, or tenderness, limping or difficulty walking, pain in only one limb, persistent pain that interferes with daily activities, or unexplained weight loss or fatigue. These symptoms could indicate an underlying condition other than growing pains that requires evaluation.

What were the key findings of the study conducted in Bangladesh regarding unexplained limb pain in children?

The study conducted in Bangladesh focused on children presenting with unexplained limb pain. It revealed that a significant majority (75.4%) were diagnosed with growing pains, highlighting the prevalence of this condition in the pediatric population. The study also noted that growing pains were more common during periods of slow growth (86%) than rapid growth (14%).

What specific characteristics define 'growing pains' in children, and how can I differentiate them from other types of limb pain?

The characteristics of growing pains include pain typically located in both legs, often in the shins, calves, thighs, or behind the knees. This pain usually occurs in the late afternoon, evening, or during the night, sometimes even waking the child. The nature of the pain is often described as deep, throbbing, or aching. Importantly, there are no objective signs of inflammation, such as swelling, redness, or tenderness, and lab tests are normal. It is intermittent, meaning it comes and goes with pain-free periods.

What factors do doctors consider to determine if a child's leg pain is actually 'growing pains,' and what diagnostic tests might be involved?

Growing pains are diagnosed based on specific criteria, primarily focusing on the child's symptoms. These include the location of the pain (typically both legs), the timing of the pain (late afternoon, evening, or night), the nature of the pain (deep, throbbing, or aching), and the absence of objective signs of inflammation (swelling, redness, or tenderness). A physical exam should be normal, and lab tests are also typically normal. It's crucial to consider that growing pains are intermittent.