Help, my child is cracking!

We often encounter concerned questions about cracking joints in everyday practice. Especially when the child makes this cracking noise on purpose. It is indeed an exciting topic - because it has not yet been finally clarified how this noise comes about. What is currently suspected is called the vacuum theory. It is assumed that a vacuum forms in the joint space, causing carbon dioxide gases to be released from the joint lubricant. And when these gas bubbles burst, this noise is caused. The fact is that it is neither harmful nor an indication of any disease.

So if your child's joints crack, for example when changing nappies or lifting a baby, this is no reason to get nervous and no reason to go to the doctor. And if your older child sits there from time to time and actively cracks their joints, then this is a bit like picking their nose and biting their fingernails, i.e. a bad habit. But this is no reason to be afraid and worry about your child's health.

So our advice is to put up with it stoically, or make your child aware that there are people who can't hear this noise when someone around them makes it.