This video script delves into the common phenomenon of "growing pains" in children, revealing that these pains are not actually linked to growth. It explains the medical community's shift in terminology to "benign nocturnal limb pains of childhood" due to the unknown origin of these nighttime aches. The script highlights the limited understanding of growing pains and the lack of definitive tests to differentiate them from more serious issues. Importantly, it challenges the common assumption that children will simply "grow out of" pain, citing research that indicates a concerning progression of neck and back pain from childhood into adulthood, potentially leading to chronic issues and disability.
Takeaways
- We’ve all heard of growing pains, but did you know that what we call growing pains aren’t associated with growing?
- This has led doctors to start calling them "benign nocturnal limb pains of childhood," meaning sore arms or legs at night without a known cause, but not considered a major problem.
- We know very little about growing pains, apart from children experiencing soreness in their arms or legs at the end of the day, usually waking up feeling better.
- Unfortunately, there are no easy tests to determine if these pains will resolve on their own or if they indicate a real problem requiring medical attention.
- We now know that if your child suffers from pain, you shouldn’t just assume they will ‘grow out of it.’
- Studies have shown that when children develop neck and back pain at a young age, which is surprisingly common, it often worsens over time.
- This pain can become chronic, more intense, spread to different locations, and become much more frequent as they get older.
- By the time children turn 18, they experience the same amount of back pain as adults, which is a significant concern, as low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide.