A team of Danish researchers led by Professor Lise Hestbæk have investigated the prevalence of growing pains among Danish children, how children experience growing pains, and whether these pains are really related to growth finish.
The data was collected in a large 2016 cohort study involving preschool children aged 3–6 years and their parents from a Danish municipality. The children’s health and motor development were tracked over time, contributing unique insights into children’s motor skills and the development of muscle and joint health.
At the study’s outset, parents completed questionnaires about their children’s health and sociodemographic background, and the children’s height was measured. Over the following six months, parents answered weekly SMS questions about their children’s pain and participated in phone interviews whenever pain was reported. The children were remeasured six months later.
In total, data from 777 children was analyzed, and at least one in four children (an equal number of boys and girls) experienced growing pains. Among those with growing pains, the pain occurred 1–3 times per week, most commonly in the lower legs (unilateral or bilateral) and typically in the evening. The pain disrupted the sleep of about one-quarter of the affected children. Older children in the cohort were more likely to experience growing pains than younger ones.
When they analyzed the relationship between the children’s growing pains and their height increase over six months, the researchers found no evidence that growing pains are linked to rapid growth.
The researchers concluded that while growing pains are common, the criteria for diagnosing them should be clearer to avoid confusing them with other conditions. Moreover, it might be time to reconsider the name, as growing pains don’t appear to be related to height growth.
Hestbæk L, Lücking A, Jensen ST. Growing pains in Danish preschool children: a descriptive study. Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 17;14(1):3956.
Read the academic paper here