Last reviewed: September 29, 2026

Usually growing pains. They are common in young children and harmless. A few signs point to something else and are worth a doctor’s visit.

In an Australian survey of parents of children ages 4 to 6, about 1 in 3 said their child had these pains. There is no agreed definition. A review of 145 studies found very little agreement on how to diagnose growing pains.

Despite the name, growth does not seem to be the cause. Studies have found no link with periods of fast growth. The cause is unknown.

Growth is linked to a different kind of pain. In Osgood-Schlatter disease and Sever’s disease, bone can grow before the muscles lengthen, so tight muscles and tendons pull where they attach to the growing bone. That pain is in one spot, comes with activity and is common during the growth spurt.

The usual pattern of growing pains is:

  • Pain in both legs, most often the lower legs.
  • Pain in the evening or at night. It can wake the child.
  • Gone by morning, with a normal day of play.
  • No limp, no swelling and a normal examination.

When the story and examination fit this pattern, X-rays and blood tests are usually not needed.

An overuse injury behaves differently. It is usually in one spot, it is tied to a sport, it gets worse with activity and better with rest, and there may be swelling or a drop in performance.

Serious causes are rare, but they are the reason a doctor asks careful questions. Pain at night alone does not tell them apart, because growing pains also come at night. Leukemia, the most common childhood cancer, can first show up as bone pain. In one hospital study, 21 of 148 children with blood cancers first came to the emergency room with bone or joint complaints, and most were not diagnosed at that first visit. Normal X-rays and blood counts did not rule it out. Bone tumors are most common in older children and teenagers. Pain at rest or at night that keeps coming back in the same spot is a concern. Infection usually comes with fever, a limp, or a red, warm area.

Treatment for growing pains is simple: massage, warmth and, if needed, an over-the-counter pain reliever.

In general:

  • Pain in one leg or one spot, or pain still there in the morning, deserves a doctor’s visit.
  • See your child’s doctor promptly for a limp, swelling, redness, warmth, fever or night sweats.
  • Pain that gets worse with sport and better with rest may be an overuse injury; a break from that sport is reasonable.
  • If the pattern changes, get it checked again.

Drafted with AI assistance from published sources, reviewed and edited by Babak Sheikh, MD.

Sources:

This is general information about what published research shows. It is not medical advice and it is not about your situation. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship with me. I am a retired orthopedic surgeon and I do not see patients. Talk with your own doctor before changing anything about your care. If something feels suddenly or seriously wrong, get medical care promptly rather than waiting.

This page is provided as is. I make no guarantee that it is accurate, complete or current, and medical evidence changes. Use of it is at your own risk.

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