Dr. Smith is often asked if the term “growing pains” is fact or fiction.  Researchers agree that the periodic aches and pains children feel in their legs are real.

Growing pains may attack at any time during childhood.  However, they generally occur at two times in a child’s life: between the ages of three and five and again between the ages of eight and 12.  The onset of pain generally begins in the late afternoon and intensifies at night — making sleep nearly impossible.  The pain can even wake a child up from a sound sleep.

It’s important to validate your child’s pain and not dismiss it.  While up to 20 percent may be psychologically based, over 80 percent is physical in origin.  That’s why it’s imperative that parents schedule regular chiropractic checkups for their children.

In most cases, leg pain is simply the body’s way of saying “I’ve had enough… I need a rest!”  That doesn’t mean that pain should be ignored, however.  Don’t risk your child’s health — make an appointment with Dr. Smith for a full examination.
Dr. Barbara Smith