My 4.5 yr old daughter has been complaining of a sore neck for a few days now. Mostly first thing in the morning. The poor little thing is in so much pain she was crying and moaning in her sleep. I give her advil when it is obviously really bad. A couple of things a. she does not have a fever, b. she did not fall or injure it in any way, c. my husband and I both have neck problems. I tried to get her to let me rub it or put tiger balm or some other ointment on it but she will not let me. I did feel it and it is very tense and tight. I am not sure what to do.
Thanks everyone. Like I said she does not have a fever so it is not meningitis! We went to the ped and she just slept on it funny and we will be using massage and advil. Thanks for your responses.
I used to have sore neck problems and got a buckwheat pillow. No more problems. I have been using it for years, wouldn't sleep without it. I make an impression in the pillow with my hand (where my head will be situated) .
It supports the neck while you sleep because it doesn't squish down like a regular pillow. Might be worth a try.
Take her to the doctor asap! That is not normal, and isn't a growing pain. Growing pains present in the evening/at night and do not hurt when they wake up in the morning. Also, growing pains in the neck aren't normal, they are usually in larger muscle groups. I would be calling the doctor or taking her to the ER if the doctor can't get her in. Poor baby!
You should get her checked out. It could be something as simple as sleeping on it the wrong way. Or, without realizing, she may be grinding her teeth at night which definitely will cause a sore neck and muscle spasms.
If advil isn't working at all, definitely get her in to be seen so you can get to the bottom of it and help her out.
A sore neck can be a symptom of lots of things including some serious like meningitis.
Since it's gone on for a few days, get her in to urgent care if you can't get her in to her pediatrician.
Best wishes.
I would absolutely call the dr. right now. If you can't get in to see her right away, then I would take her to the ER. There is no reason your little girl should have to go through any more pain if you can help it. I do whatever it takes to stop my babies from hurting, and I am sure you do the same. Good luck and let us know what happens
I don't think a sore neck is at all normal for a child. It could be a sign of something bigger going on. Rarely is a sore neck a growing pain. I would definitely give the doctor a call. Its been longer than two days and there's no cause, then there's an issue of some sort.
Sometimes a heating pad will help a tight muscle (since you have had it checked out). We have microwavable flax seed heating pads that stay warm 30 to 40 minutes and are good for sleeping (no wires or continuous heat source). I get a sore neck when I have sinus congestion (I clench my jaw in my sleep) so if she has a cold it may be related. Also try pj's or a soft shirt that has a collar to keep her neck warm.
Get her checked by her doctor or the ER if you have to. This is not normal...even my son who was an athlete since he was 5 never had that. Maybe she slept wrong, maybe she fell and you didn't know it, maybe it is something more serious...you won't know until you get her checked out and better safe than sorry.
If it is just a sore muscle, Painatrate is the best option and is safe for kids too.
Take her to the Dr now. That much pain and not having an injury for a child so young could be a sign of a larger problem, like meningitis, or infections, or it could be as simple as a bad neck cramp from sleeping the wrong way. Best to have it checked out.
After you chat with the ped. and get the all clear from that point of view, if she still has the sore neck, I would consult a chiropractor.
My 9y son complained for a few days during the winter. I took him in and he was WAY out of alignment Turns out he had had a bad crash during sledding that he hadn't mentioned. 2 treatments with the chiro and he was back to normal.
HAs she had a tick on her lately?
Did she recently do strenuous activities?
She could have slept the "wrong" way.
It could be caused by an infection somewhere in the body.
If it's always first thing in the a.m. change the way she sleeps(pillow).
If any cold air-be it airconditioning or from an open window-----i have am stiff neck------and yes it hurts........best wishes for you daughter
