Why does growing hurt even though it doesn't?
Are you interested in winning a Nobel Prize for Medicine? Then we have a tip for you: try to find out why growing hurts even though it doesn't hurt. Sounds mysterious? It is a bit.
So-called growing pains are a very common reason why children present to the practice. The term "growing pains" is actually a misnomer, as we know that growing in itself does not hurt. What we don't know is why so many children of nursery and primary school age repeatedly complain of unclear pain in their legs, and sometimes also in their arms
Well, we don't know either.
And to make it clear what it's all about, we'll continue to talk about growing pains. The important thing is: as a parent, how do I know if the pain is harmless? This is usually easy to recognise. Classic growing pains usually occur in the evening or at night - and the next day everything is over again. The pain is also diffuse. It is sometimes there and sometimes gone, sometimes on the top left, sometimes on the bottom right.
What else is important: See a doctor relatively quickly if your child complains of pain that always occurs in the same place. So if pain occurs permanently and only in the right knee, for example, then please do not wait a few weeks, but have the child examined.
And what can you do about growing pains? Not much. If you know that it is harmless, a little attention and/or a massage can help, perhaps with a normal care cream as a placebo painkiller. If the pain is really severe, then you can also give a painkiller, which the child is entitled to.
As is so often the case, the best news is that it gets better over time. The pain usually stops towards the end of primary school - the problem literally grows away.
Further interesting tips
Devil's circle of movement
"Bird flies, fish swims, man runs" Emil Zatopek, the legendary Czech long-distance runner, once said. And the man was right! Running, racing and exercise are part of our basic genetic make-up. But they should also do it - especially children.
Get moving!
Today the doctor has an expert at his side: Nina Kurz is a pre- and postnatal trainer and is very committed to the topic of sport for children and young people - and that's exactly what the two of them talked about.
Affirmations
Today we have a combined topic, so to speak: it's about something very important when dealing with children and at the same time it's a gift idea. The keyword is: affirmations.