The Truth About Growing Pains

It is true that during childhood and throughout the growing process, the body goes through changes of dramatic proportion. During these periods of growth, children most often report pain in the legs, arms or knees especially during nighttime -- all signs that generally point to a condition commonly known as "growth spurts".

Although these so called "growing pains" will feel intense, sharp or throbbing, they are nonetheless very normal and often disregarded as anything serious.

Complaints of pain in or around the patella (knee bone), femur (thigh bone), tibia (lower leg bone), humerus (upper arm bone), pelvis, jaw or skull should not be taken lightly. This pain could be a sign of a very serious bone cancer called osteosarcoma, which most often occurs in young people.

Osteosarcoma can appear in people up to 30 years of age. And while most adults exhibiting signs or symptoms are adept at seeking care on their own for chronic pain, children can only voice their painful symptoms to their parents and teachers. Osteosarcoma is a malignant disease with very severe consequences; and although the management of the disease is improving, it spreads very quickly. If this cancer is not caught in early stages, radical intervention is often required to save the child's life.

So, before you shush your kids and tell them their leg pain is just "growing pains", it may be worth a visit to a medical provider just in case.

Source: Medical Information Pro