Growing pains often are described as an ache or throb in the legs — usually in the front of the thighs, the calves, the shins or behind the knees. The pain tends to affect both legs. It usually happens at night and may even wake a child from sleep.

Growing pains may be linked to a lower pain threshold, meaning you start to sense pain when its intensity is low. Or in some cases, the symptoms may be tied to mental or emotional stress.

Growing pains also have been linked with another condition that causes uncomfortable feelings in the legs, called restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS causes an urge to move one or both legs. Some children may have both conditions.

There's no specific treatment for growing pains. But you can make your child more comfortable. For instance, you could put a warm heating pad on the sore muscles and massage them.

Growing pains usually cause an aching or throbbing feeling in the legs. This pain often occurs in the front of the thighs, the calves, the shins or behind the knees. Typically, both legs hurt. Some children also may have belly pain or headaches during bouts of growing pains.

The pain often comes and goes. Your child might not have symptoms for days or weeks at a time. But some children have pain more often or daily.

Growing pains often strike in the late afternoon or early evening and go away by morning. Sometimes they cause a child to wake up in the middle of the night.

Talk with a member of your child's healthcare team if you're concerned about your child's leg pain. Schedule a checkup if the pain is:

• Persistent or getting worse.
• Present in only one leg.
• Still there in the morning or during the daytime.
• Bad enough to get in the way of your child's usual activities.
• Located in the joints.
• Related to an injury.
• Accompanied by other symptoms, such as swelling, tenderness, fever, limping, rash, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue.

The cause of growing pains is unknown.

Growing pains don't happen where growth occurs or during times of rapid growth. It's been suggested that growing pains may be linked to various health issues. These include low vitamin D levels, mental stress, very flexible joints and foot conditions including flatfeet. The most likely cause of growing pains is thought to be muscle pain at night after too much physical activity during the day. Overuse of the legs from activities such as running, climbing and jumping can be hard on a child's muscles and bones.

Encourage your child to stay active though. Stopping your child's usual activities doesn't prevent growing pains.

Growing pains tend to happen between the ages of 3 to 14. They're slightly more common in girls than in boys. Running, climbing or jumping more than usual during the day might raise the risk of leg pain at night.

Most often, tests aren't needed to find out if a child has growing pains. In some cases, though, blood tests or X-rays are done to find out if a different problem is the cause of your child's symptoms. Not all types of leg pain in children are growing pains. Sometimes, leg pain may be caused by health conditions that can be treated.

There's no specific treatment for growing pains. The good news is that they don't cause other problems, and they don't affect growth. The symptoms often get better on their own within a year or two.

If your child's growing pains may be related to foot issues or to highly flexible joints, the healthcare team may recommend physical therapy or shoe inserts called orthotics. If tests find that your child is low on vitamin D, the care team may recommend calcium and vitamin D supplements.

You can help ease your child's growing pains with these home remedies:

• Rub your child's legs. Children often respond to gentle massage. Others feel better when they're held or cuddled.
• Use a heating pad. Heat can help soothe sore muscles. Use a heating pad on a low setting before bedtime or when your child complains of leg pain. Remove the heating pad once your child falls asleep. A warm bath before bedtime may help too.
• Try a pain reliever. Offer your child ibuprofen (Advil, Children's Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Do not give aspirin. A rare but serious condition called Reye's disease is linked with giving aspirin to children.
• Stretching exercises. Stretching the muscles in the legs during the day may help prevent pain at night. Ask a member of your child's healthcare team which stretches might help.

Most children who have growing pains will not need to see a healthcare professional. But talk with your healthcare professional if the pain is ongoing or unusual.

What you can do

Before the checkup, write a list that answers the following questions:

• Where in the body does the pain occur, and how bad is it? Does it cause your child to cry?
• When did the pain start happening? And is there a certain time of day when it usually occurs?
• When the pain happens, is your child usually also upset about other issues?
• How long does the pain last?
• What, if anything, helps it get better?
• Does the pain wake your child up at night or make it hard to fall asleep?
• Has your child had any other symptoms, such as swelling, belly pain or headaches?
• Has your child recently started a new sport or type of physical activity?

What to expect from your doctor

During the exam, your child's healthcare professional likely will ask questions about your child's symptoms and activities. Your child's bones and muscles will likely be checked for signs of tenderness.