Hello Mama's-
Last night my son who is 3 1/2 woke up screaming. At first we didnt know what he needed, usually he has to go to the bathroom and gets scared when he wakes up and cries, but this was a different cry, pain. He would not tell us what was wrong at first, them he said his leg hurt. My husband took him to the bathroon anyways and said he noticed his toes were curled, like when your foot gets a cramp/ charlie horse and thats probably what he meant when he said his leg hurts. He wakes up at least once a week saying his leg hurts, so maybe he is getting leg/foot cramps more often. Do you know of any quick relief I can offer to my son, so its not so painful, or the pain goes away faster? Usually we massage his legs until he calms dowm, but maybe one of you smart mama's know of something different??
Thank you!!
Hi
My daughter has the same issue.....I increased her iron intake and that has helped dramatically.....also increased her water consumption....and I bought a little bottle of really good smelling hand lotion and I told her it was "special leg cramp lotion" and I use it to massage her legs....for us, the iron increase helped the most........good luck!
we have been dealing with this on and off for over a year and my son is 4 1/2. it seems to come in waves...he will have a lot of them and then none for weeks. i ususally just rub the leg/foot and sometimes give him motrin. i did some reading and i guess its like growing pains. i did start to give him more water during the day and potassium (banana's).
its horriable for both he and i! good luck. i did talk to my ped about it so you may want to mention it too.
good luck!
I still get these occasionally, in the middle of the night. Your leg seizes up and OMG does it hurt! Sometimes leg cramps are caused by a lack of potassium in the diet. Perhaps more bananas??
D.-
That used to happen to my youngest son too. It was growning pains. I would make sure he ate lots of bananas. When he would get a cramp, I would put him in a hot bath. :)
Could be a potassium deficiancy. Does he like bananas? If so try having him eat one a day and see what happens. Hope that helps!
Most cramping is a result of lowered calcium levels. I have difficulty digesting calcium and so I have to take supplements, and when I don't the result is leg cramps. Perhaps you can find a children's calcium supplement that will help with this, or you could give him a glass of milk before bed.
My friend, take yourself to CVS or wallgreens and buy a tube of Cramp Cream...it lasts as you only use a little...and it really works..It might be Hylands. For 5 yrs I have had these cramps that just about turn my hands.feet and legs inside out...it stops as soon as we get the cream on. Now my dr is telling me it could be a lack of magneseium in my system, so it it keeps happening even with cramp cream, talk to the doctor...
Good luck, C.
When I get a charlie horse, it helps to stand on my toes, or even better, in a lunge position with the hurting leg in the back. It stretches it out and makes the pain go away a lot faster than a massage. But I feel bad for your son because I wake up screaming and can't imagine the pain he must be in.
Potassium is supposed to help you not get cramps, so try to add more of that to his diet.
Hi D.,
I agree with the mamas who said potassium and calcium. I do NOT AGREED with the mama that said to give motrin...PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOUR CHILD DRUGS all you will do then is mask the pain and what you really want to do is find out WHY he is cramping not just hide the fact that he is.
Leg cramps could truly be anything, most likely it is something simple like low levels of potassium or calcium (and I don't mean milk). Bananas are a great and easy but a great calcium, well you have to go looking for it. My family (kids and all) have one main source of calcium. It is a supplement in powder form that we make into slushies or smoothies or milkshakes - yes we add it to soy milk for that extra boost. As I sell it, I am unable to post it here, but please feel free to send me a personal email if you are interested.
As for right-now-quick relief pushing on his toes, like he is standing on his tippy toes may help and leg massage, things need to keep moving to release pain. Cramping is about stuck energy, rubbing it in one direction will open up the flow.
B., B.A.:B.Ed.
Family Success Coach
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