Growing pains?

[twowhat?]

DD2 has been complaining of her legs hurting, but she only complains at night and it's always about an hour after bedtime. I know growing pains are a real thing (I had them) but this is DD2 we're talking about too...master of making Mommy go back into her room and thrower of epic tantrums when she doesn't get her way.

If her legs are really hurting, I want to address it - I've been rubbing her legs and telling her after I rub them that she needs to sleep so they can grow. It has been "working" so far - after I rub them she goes to sleep. But this has been happening every night for a week now and I'm worried (because it's DD2, LOL) that she is beginning to use it as an excuse to delay bedtime and whenever DD2 does this, it always goes into a downward spiral for us (tantrums at bedtime, night wakings with tantrums in the middle of the night).

So...how can I tell if the growing pains (which is what I am assuming) are real? Hahaha:)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I just take ds1's word for it as they have appeared off and on over the years. Heating pads and ibuprofen helps.

[Melbel]

My DS had complained about intermittent leg pain for a couple years, that we wrote off as "growing pains". In hindsight, I think it was related to his then undiagnosed Lyme Disease. We are often willing to write off pain as "normal", when there may be an underlying medical problem (possibly an underlying infection causing inflammation or a mineral deficiency such as potassium, calcium or magnesium). Then again, she may be working you!

ETA: I wonder if a warm bath with Epson Salt before bed time would help. It may be worth a try.

[PearlsMom]

Everyone I knew who had growing pains was treated with bananas -- the potassium, I guess, was supposed to make it better. Whether placebo effect or not, it always seemed to work. As PP said, it's probably worth it to look into a vitamin/mineral deficiency or inflammatory issue (especially because that's something that can be addressed during the day not just at bedtime).

[sarahsthreads]

DD2 gets these periodically. I've noticed they tend to be much worse when she's not drinking enough in the summer, though she has woken up with them at other times of the year. Also, when she gets them, it often is several nights in a row, and it's usually 2-3 hours after she's fallen asleep...and then it's very likely she'll wake up another time or two during the night.

I know for sure with her it's not a bedtime delay tactic or even an "I want to sleep in your bed" tactic because a) the kid loves her sleep, and b) she comes into our bed nearly every night at some point and we don't kick her out. So I can only assume her legs really are hurting her!

eta: they also do seem to precede major height growth spurts, so I really do think they're "real" growing pains.

Sarah :)