8-Year-old with Persistent Body Aches

I would advise to see a specilaist if you can which a child that age you can never be to careful. I pray that you find what is is but in the mean time I would keep a log on what she is eating even down to the school food a lot of time flare ups can be cause by what we eat ..ask for a xray of the place where she gets the worst pain and a ultra sound ..she is not having that much pain for nothing .And pray God will answer

a concern Mom..

1 mom found this helpful

Aloha A.,

Have you thought about getting a second opinion. Dr. McDougall is an excellent doctor who has helped many people. He has a website at http://www.drmcdougall.com We have many of his CDs in my home office because his information makes complete sense. It might be worth it for your family to check it out.

I hope this helps,

Marie-anne

I have a couple of thoughts to share, hopefully it'll help.
One, relates to growing pains. Sometimes children grow faster than their little bones can handle and their bodies ache. Mineral and homeopathic remedies are available at health food stores to ease the pain and support the bone growth.
The second thought was allergies. The body reacts to allergens through inflamation in specific areas of the body. Try taking dairy out of her diet and see if her symptoms reduce, if not, try weat and yeast.
The third thought that came to mind was Fribromyalgia. People that suffer from this condition hurt everywhere. Something to look into.
I would keep a log of everything that happens before the pain strikes, what foods she ate, what type of activity did she do, was she stressed in any way, time of the day, did she sleep well, etc. Her body IS talking and asking for attention. It's great that you are listening.
N.

is your dr. looking at epstein-barr (aka-mono)?

hang in there and continue to be a great champion for you dd's health and well-being!

Hi A.,
My daughter had something very similar when she was 6. She was diagnosed with Lyme Disease even though we had never seen a tick on her or seen the target-like red mark the bite is supposed to leave. After treatment it took a long time for the symptoms to subside, but they finally did. She's in her early 20's now and has slight problems with arthritic symptoms, but nothing major.
I don't know if that is your daughter's problem, but you may check it out.
Good luck and may God bless!
E.

Sounds to me like she is growing.

Hi A.,
you can dismiss this idea if it seems too out there, but have you considered Lymes' disease? If you live in an area that has ticks she might have been exposed without your knowing it. One of the symptoms is unexplained arthritic type pain. The good news is that it is treatable with antibiotics. The tricky thing is an accurate diagnosis...so seek out a lyme literate doctor if possible. Good luck!

Is your child growing very fast? Our son was very tall for his age and he also complained much like your child. It may be what the old folks called growing pains. Make sure your child is getting plenty of calcium & magnesium. Bones and muscles need this to develop.
Also, was your child check for Lyme disease. Children can be bitten by lyme infected ticks.
I hope your child feels better soon.

Sounds like Lyme disease, or maybe Mersa (not sure of the spelling) Should take her in to see the Dr.

Might be a potassium defieciency. My son is like that too,. I make him eat a banana every morning, Takes about 2 weeks for it to work, If he doesnt eat one, he starts getting leg aches, cramps, etc. Doctor said it was growing pains.

when my daughter was 3 she had a viral pneumonia. SHe had some episodes of fever and joint pain. She woke up in the middle of the night crying that her body , hand and knees hurt. We were referred to ucla dr mccurdy for a rheumatology work up. Turns out that she had a post viral syndrome that can last up to 8 weeks. At first I was skeptical. But immediately After the 8 week mark she stopped complaining.
You can always do the wait and see approach but if your gut tells u otherwise request a referral to a rhuematologist.

Hello! My daughter is 8 years old as well, and she does experience similar symptoms from time to time. I am currently working toward a bachelor's degree in natural health, and found some great information on this very topic just the other day. When I read your post I remembered what I had found in my text book. As long as you have ruled out the JRA with blood work and if you are willing to try something natural, I would love to offer some suggestions! By giving your daughter the Ibuprofin, you may actually be blocking her bodys natural response to a problem. The reason we have swelling is because our body floods an injured area with lymphatic fluid in an effort to heal it. When we take anti-inflammatory meds we do take the swelling down (and alliviate some pain), but that only stops the symptom, not the problem. A good calcium/magnesium supplement may be helpful, and will not harm her liver and stomach like the Ibuprofin could. (Make sure she takes BOTH calcium and magnesium as they are meant to work together.) Warm baths with epsom salts are very soothing too. She may have a food sensitivity that is creating an inflammatory response. Try keeping a food journal for one week and see if her symptoms are related to anything she is eating. If she likes bananas, you may want to have her eat one a day and see if the potassium helps. I wish you luck! I know it's hard to see our babies in pain.

Hi, A.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but my nephew has had the same symptoms as your little girl for about two years now. When he was first tested for JRA at the age of 8, the A. test was negative. When my sister demanded he be retested, it is now positive - he is almost 10. I don't know when you had her tested, but my suggestion to you is to wait a few months and have your daughter retested. Also, when you say she is talented, is she physically talented - into sports, dance, stuff like that where over-doing it could cause overworked joints and muscles? We had to back my 10 year old daughter off of some of her physical activities because her little muscles aren't fully developed yet and it put too much strain on her joints - just a thought. Good luck.

A suggestion from a nutrition standpoint. How much processed foods does she eat. If she eats a lot she may be getting too much omega-6 fats and lots of other "bad" additives that is causing her body to be "inflamed" which would cause her joint pain. I suggest, although not a doctor, but I am a nutritionist and trainer, I suggest giving her fish oil supplements, especially if she doesn't eat any fish or take fish oils already. This will help counter balance the effects of having too much inflammation in her body. i know that having enough omega-3's (fish oils) really helps with many health problems (RA specifically). Limiting her diet of processed foods and getting her to eat as healthy as possible may help. Hope this helps. E.~

Um growing pains? I had em bad all my life tell I stopped growing.

I wouldn't rule out growing pains. When i was her age or a little older i had severe pain in my knees from growing pains. I remember one time i had to almost be carried out of a movie theater because i couldn't walk, it hurt that bad. And i'm the kind of person that really really does not like attention. I it goes away soon.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask if she plays outdoors much. There are 2 things that come to mind. One is that if she is not physically active, that alone can trigger very painful side affects...the other is that if she is active outdoors, she may have injured her back and caused some pinched nerves...That can be very very painful. As a possibility, you may want to explore getting a referral to a chiropractor...One may have saved my sisters life when she was about that age.

Not sure if this will help, but when I was little I had something called Henoch-Schönlein purpura. My nephew also had it when he was little. It is kind of like a temporary arthritis in all of your joints. There is a rash involved as well. I had the rash really bad, but my nephew barely had one at all. It hurts to move or put pressure on any part of your body. The good news is it goes away without complications. It is not very well known,even by doctors. I was in medical books.

I pray you find out what is going on.

Hi A.,
Have you considered a chiropractic evaluation? Chiropractors specialize in helping the nervous system function optimally. There are specific chiropractors who specialize in taking care of children. If you go to www.icpa4kids.org you can find a doctor in your area.

C. Tanaka, DC
Family Wellness Chiropractor
www.naturallifechiro.com

Hello A.,

Whole body pain can be treated by Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine... It is especially effective for children because they are still growing, and they respond quickly. In general, Acupuncture has been proven to treat pain effectively. If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at Rhee's Acupuncture Clinic. We are located in Las Vegas and can be reached at ###-###-####.
Good luck, O.

Make sure she is tested for Lyme disease. It can have those symptoms.

Good luck.
A. G

Chiropractic and liquid calcium (a natural painkiller AND it often gets rid of gorwing pains within a few days) has worked wonders for my kids and my friend's kids.

http://www.icpa4kids.org/locator/index.php to find a pediatric chiropractor.

I went through a major growth spurt that kept me out of gym class and going to DRs. It took a year (and 6 inches in height) to realize what was happening. Not sure if this helps but it sounds very similar to what I went through. Good luck and try Bayer Asprin. That is what they had me taking 3x a day.

My daughter had a lot of what we call growing pains and stll does at 13 almost 14. We just give her Ibuprofen. I try not to make a big deal of it because she is a drama queen. Nobody could say what it was and we did notice she would have growth spurts around the most painful times. Not too long ago she was having the pains and she said I am growing and she did grow 2 inches in about 6 weeks time.
Good Luck

A.,
I have no specific experience with what you've described, but here is my very general advice. ALWAYS trust your mother's instinct and go for a second opinion if you still feel something is amiss with your child's health. Sometimes with doctors you have to really push for answers and go to more than one til you can get a diagnosis. And of course, the sooner you identify a health problem the better chance you have to treat it quickly. So go get a second opinion. I have heard of so many mothers whose children have health problems or serious conditions that did not get diagnosed until they kept pushing and researching and going back to the doctors to figure it out. TRUST YOUR INSTINCT. Good luck.

I know I have personally experienced what was concluded to be a virus that can live in your cartilage anywhere in your body. I most severely had it in my ribcage and made it feel like a heart issue. I know it can happen anywhere where the soft cartilage is..knee's, ankles, anywhere. It has to run it course since viruses have no specific medicine (if it is this). It is painful - but once you know that that is what it is, it is easier to deal with it. I would definitely have her checked out to rule out anything that is possibly more serious. Good luck and God Bless You!!

While I have not experienced this my self, my husband and I have known children with "growing pains". Literally. While most of these children were born premature, whenever they hit a growth spurt they were in sever pain from head to toe. Luckily, it didn't last forever. And none of them, that have reached adulthood, have suffered any lasting affects. I wish that I could be of more help. Just keep hanging in there. And keep returning to your doctor if you can. Sometimes that is the to keep the doctors looking for a cure.

As a person who grew up with JRA my advice to you is just to watch very carefully. Have u taken her to a Ruemotologist? (sp) If u live in Las Vegas, Dr. Kelly is an excellent dr. He will look into all aspects and make certain that it is or isnt JRA. Good luck and if u need anymore advice just let me know

Hi, I am an adult but I experienced the same thing & it turned out to be Fibromyalgia. It is rare but children can & do get the condition also. It will not show up in ANY traditional testing; blood, etc. it is a process of elimination. Ask her pedi or Rh Dr. I hope this helps....Good Luck.

Hi A.,

I don't really have any advice but I did want to share that my daughter (now 11), still has growing pains. they are sporadic and somedays worse then other. When they first started it was very scary because at my job I hear a lot about kids with different disorders/diseases, etc. When she agreed to go to the Dr. "just to check" that everything was O.K. it scared me because she is SO AFRAID of Dr.s I figured it must really hurt. Long story short, we basically deal with them by giving her massages and Tylenol Jr. Good luck and whatever your F., pray, pray, pray. :)

as a children's yoga instructor, i would recommend that even though she is feeling pain, be sure that she keeps moving and keeps those muscles and joints active. they can stiffen/hurt more if they are not kept mobile on some level. yoga is a great exercise, but so is walking, swimming, or anything low-impact that will help to keep her joints lubricated without causing additional pain. :) S. (mini yogis yoga for kids)

Hi, A....

My 8 1/2 yr old daughter started with these body aches as well about 6 or 8 mos. ago. She is a very active child, so it was concerning us, as well. Her dr. said it was "growing pains". I thought those were old myths, but I guess it's a true phenomenon! Hyland's has homeopathic tablets for leg cramps and I believe even growing pains in general. My daughter's pains are mostly in her legs and ankles, sometimes shoulders. Try Hyland's line of tablets. They will probably help a lot and good luck.

I would recommend a 2nd opinion. There are many things that it could be. Fibermyalsia is a lot more common now in childern and adults. It is an extremely painful disease that many doctors still do not recognise. You may want to speak to a nutritionist as well. Some people have reactions to food in the way of allergies this way. Check out www.Mannapages.com/darladennis for more information on Food related illnesses.
It is not normal for our little ones to be in sever constant pain. And sometimes it is as simple as diet, to eliminate that pain.
God Bless you.

If you are open to Eastern medecine, there's a wonderful gal named Dr. Keh who can identify a multitude of environmental or biological factors which cause pain or discomfort. She has treated me and my daughter. She is located in Simi Valley. Her number is ###-###-####. Good luck!

Hi A., I am going to send you a personal note. K.

My only advice is to not take one doctor's opinion. I would check with another type of doctor. Possibly a neurologist. Keep going till you find an answer. Doctors miss things. It sounded like growing pains until you mentioned the eyes. I would continue research on your own over the internet and look for
another doctor's opinion......
Good luck!!!

3 out of four of my children have this problem. Between medical docs and natural docs it seems the common concenses is a nervous type disorder. Too much stress and not knowing how to deal with it. They chronically have pains here or there and when they present me with their pain we talk about what might be bothering them. They have come from a pretty extreme situation, however, so I don't know if it could be the same for your child...if she is having stress that she may not even really she is having. Our lives were very negatively affected by a stalker for 6 yrs. We moved several times only to be found again and this was a random guy, he had no ties on our family whatsoever. My children stopped knowing how to make friends and have a good time because of all the moving. They started experiencing body pains and aches all over on a regular basis. Once we figured out what was going on we put two of them in therapy and learned how to manage stress better and learned the dangers of not taking care of stress. Unmanaged stress easily manifests with physical pain that is absolutely real and we don't all come with the life skill of knowing how to work through stress appropriately. I have no idea if this fits your daughter in any way but when I read your story it made me think of our situation. Give you something else to consider.

Something I believe, is that even with a healthy diet, our foods are nutritionally deficient and our bodies are being overloaded with toxins from the air, water and foods we eat. Our kids are being affected too. Watch this short video and send me a private message if you have questions and would like to pursue a "natural and safe" solution.

www.drspeaksout.com

No promises that it will help your daughter, but me and my kids are doing great. For us, medicine is the LAST alternative. There are just far too many side effects. When it is necessary - we use it. I have MS...and use the medications required for that still.

I feel for your little one. It's so frustrating when there are no answers from those that should know. I hope to hear from you.

A.,

I am the fortunate mother of two wonderful boys (17 & 11).

Although only the older had "growing pains" when he had them they would sometimes be so intense that laying on the couch with a heating pad (his prefered treatment) was all he would be able to do.

I asked many mothers about this as I thought there was something horribly wrong with my son but was actually told by multiple mom's that I was lucky his were only sporadic. Some mothers reported to me that they would have months were their sons and/or daughters were almost daily in pain to the point of crying.

I can sympathize with your concern, especially with the history of RA, but for some kids the action of their little bodies stretching and growing is awful.

I hope this helps.

J.

I haven't had or heard of this, but if a child asks to go to a doctor then you know it's more then a mean kid at school. If this continues ask for a cat scan, this way they are seeing everything piece by piece, hopefully they will find something that way. Also try a childrens hospital where they deal more with children and big problems then a doctor who usually sees kids with the flu. I'm not saying that doctors aren't smart, but at a childrens hospital they tend to look deep, not brush it off as a growing pain or the flu, because that's what they do all day.

Good Luck! Hope she gets better soon. JP

If you have been travelling in the last year, someplace where mosquitos are, you should have a knowledgeable doctor rule out dengue fever. Most doctors in the U.S. do not know how too much about it because it is not something most children get in the U.S., but they do if they travel. good luck.

My 8 year old also complains of persistent body pain. I give her Osteo Pro Care a liquid calcium product and Body Balance ( www.lifeforce.net/18293301 ) and I give her a massage every night, she does fine through most of the day but at night she notices it more. It has gotten better over the last few months. She also has seizure disorder so I know she has a lot of stressors to deal with. Warm baths, massage and the above nutricueticals keeps her going.