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Expert Q&A
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| By Alesia Hanson, RPh Registered Pharmacist | ||
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Is there a nutritional supplement to relieve my 5-year-old's leg cramps (growing pains)?
There is not a nutritional supplement that will help with "growing pains." Muscle cramps in adults can be a sign of a lack of certain minerals, but growing pains in children are most likely caused by overexertion.
Growing pains are most common in children ages 3 through 5 and then again ages 8 through 12. They occur most often when children have had a very active day. Growing pains usually occur in the evening and can sometimes be painful enough that they cause children to awake. They usually occur in the calves, the front of the thigh or behind the knee. Acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) helps relieve the pain. Massaging the area as well as stretching can also help.
Your child's physician should be consulted if your child experiences any of the following with his/her pain: swelling, redness or persistent pain in one particular area or joint; limping; loss of appetite; unusual rashes; fever; tiredness; weakness or unusual behavior.
Alesia Hanson, RPh
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