Safe and Effective Natural Remedies for Growing Pains

My 5-year-old son was up frequently last night with what we call "growing pains". I used to have them as a kid too, and I'm pretty sure most parents deal with this at some point or another. And, why does it only seem to happen at night??

When you are up at midnight with a child crying out in pain, the last thing you want to be doing is reading this blog post on how to help them. So, I highly recommend reading this article and then pinning or bookmarking these natural remedies for growing pains so you can easily reference it in the heat of the moment.

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What are "Growing Pains"?

What most people are referring to when they say "growing pains" is a condition in which a child feels aching or throbbing pain in their legs, most often occurring at night, often severe enough to wake them.

Growing pains usually show up in preschool and elementary age children but can still occur through middle school and even high school.

The real bummer here is that researchers don't really know why children experience these pains. Some say that it occurs during a time of rapid growth but there is no real evidence, in fact, the research suggests the opposite.

Anecdotally, I've seen a correlation between growing pains and growth, but n=2 ("n" being my children) does not a study make.

According to the Mayo Clinic,

"Growing pains don't usually happen where growth is occurring or during times of rapid growth. It's been suggested that growing pains may be linked to restless legs syndrome. But muscle pain at night from overuse during the day is thought to be the most likely cause of growing pains. Overuse from activities such as running, climbing and jumping can be hard on a child's musculoskeletal system."

Is there a cure?

Not really, but there are many ways to alleviate the pain and even help to try and prevent future pains or at least lessen the severity.

Many pediatricians will recommend a pain reliever like Tylenol or Ibuprofen. If you want to take a more natural approach then read on...

Safe & effective natural remedies for growing pains

Here is a list of great natural remedies to try (that really work!). Some are effective in the heat of the moment (pun intended) and others are more of a preventative measure. The best thing is - they don't contraindicate, so try one or try all!

Magnesium

Magnesium can help in two ways. If growing pains are truly caused by intense physical activity as suggested previously, magnesium can help to relieve the muscle soreness. Magnesium is also an important mineral in bone development and most children (and adults) don't get enough from diet alone. By the way, magnesium is also great for stress and other issues!

Ways to use magnesium:

• Epsom Salt bath - Add 2 cups Epsom Salts + 10-15 drops of essential oils (I like lavender for relaxation and muscle soreness) to a warm bath and soak as long as needed.

• As a supplement - For children, I like the powder forms like this one (buy on Amazon), or this popular one. This can be taken daily to build magnesium to adequate levels in the body or as an intervention (like I did in the middle of the night for growing pains with my little guy)!

  • A typical magnesium dose for children is as follows:

    • 1–3 years 65 mg/day

    • 4–8 years 110 mg/day

    • 9–18 years 350 mg/day

Read more about the benefits of magnesium here.

• With Massage - I find the magnesium oil/spray and lotion especially helpful to rub on my kids’ feet and legs at night when they are experiencing “growing pains”. Use this magnesium oil/spray (buy on Amazon) or magnesium lotion (buy on Amazon) as needed for a topical remedy for growing pains.

Massage

Massage can really relieve a child's pain from tired/achy muscles in the middle of the night. Massage is even better when you use a magnesium oil/spray (buy on Amazon) or magnesium lotion (buy on Amazon) as I mentioned above.

PRO TIP: If you find that the magnesium oil or spray causes itchiness or milk irritation, try making magnesium body butter! It's soothing and super effective. You can try this DIY recipe. I've also just added the spray to straight coconut oil and mixed it in my hands before applying.

Essential Oils

When massaging, add some essential oils like lavender and chamomile to the lotion or oil. Essential oils are also great to add to an Epsom salt bath.

According to Essential Oil Safety, lavender and chamomile are safe for children when diluted.

Heat

Heat is definitely the fastest and most effective way to immediately ease the ache of growing pains.

I recommend having one or two of these Bed Buddies on hand at all times. You just pop them in the microwave and instant heating pad! Snuggle that warm bed buddy between your child's legs and it will soon work its magic. (If it gets a bit too hot wrap it in a sheet or towel.)

Diet & Nutrition

Growing and active children need lots of calories and nutrients to fuel their energy and growth. Growing pains may be an indication that they need some more nutrition in their diets.

Bone Broth

"A 1944 study (yes, that long ago…) found that bone meal, combined with supplements for vitamins A and D completely relieved the symptoms of all 112 children in the study group who had been diagnosed with growing pains or who kicked and screamed at night (source)."

Because of potential lead contamination and other concerns, bone meal isn't recommended as a nutritional supplement these days. However, bone broth is a great alternative option.

A nutrition powerhouse, good quality bone broth will "contain an abundance of minerals as well as 17 different amino acids, many of which are found in bone broth as proteins like collagen and gelatin." (source).

You can make your own bone broth or buy a good quality one (we use this brand).

Vitamin D

A new study found vitamin D supplementation may help reduce growing pains by increasing bone mineralization and thereby decreasing the pressure of the nerves on the bones. (Source)

Most of the children in the study were clinically insufficient or deficient in vitamin D before starting therapeutic supplementation, so it's great to see that by increasing their levels of vitamin D their bones and their pain was improved.

But you know the crazy thing? The American Academy of Pediatrics studied almost 10,000 young people ages 1-21 from diverse ethnic backgrounds and geographic locations, and the results were startling—9% (7.6 million) are vitamin D deficient and an additional 61% (50.8 million) had insufficient levels of vitamin D in the blood.

Check out this article on if and how to supplement with vitamin D.

Hydration

Don't forget to get your little ones to stay properly hydrated. Dehydration can contribute to leg cramps as well. A hint that your child is dehydrated...they haven't gone to the bathroom all morning!

If water seems to "boring" at times, try herbal teas, a splash of juice in water, slices of fruit in water, or coconut water. All of these are healthy options with little to no added sugar.

And so no one thinks I make light of potential medical issues and to CMA

According to the Mayo Clinic, you should consult “your child’s doctor if you’re concerned about your child’s leg pain or the pain is:

• Persistent

• Still present in the morning

• Severe enough to interfere with your child’s normal activities

• Located in the joints

• Associated with an injury

• Accompanied by other signs or symptoms, such as swelling, redness, tenderness, fever, limping, rash, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue” (source)

Nighty Night!

I hope you and your whole household can sleep better with some of these tips and tricks. Remember to Pin this article for future reference (like in the middle of the night when you are wondering what does magnesium to give your little one!)

Please leave a comment below if you have more suggestions for natural remedies for growing pains.

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