Growing Pains

Do your children ever complain to you about aching and pain in their legs late at night?  Do they wake up in the middle of the night because of pain in their legs?  Chances are, if you consulted a doctor or pediatrician, you were told that your child is suffering from “growing pains.”

Growing pains got their name from the fact that this unexplained pain is found most often in children between the ages of 3-5 years and a bit later between the ages of 8 -12 years.  Both of these age ranges are periods of significant growth spurts.  Of course, aches that are labeled as growing pains may occur between the ages of 5 and 8 years, as well.

Muscle Pain and Cramping

Pains involving cramping of the muscles and the legs are, statistically speaking, the most common type of growing pain.

It is speculated that childhood activities such as running, jumping, and climbing—to excess—during a particularly active day may bring about muscle aching and muscle fatigue.  Perhaps.  This scenario only seems feasible to me if the child is deficient in the nutrients required for muscle growth and health.

Periosteum Pain

The periosteum is a thin layer of connective tissue that allows for attachment of muscles to bones.  Periosteum provides pathways for blood and lymphatic tissues.  It also plays important roles in bone health and development.

Children between the ages of 3 and 12 years are adding height to their stature as they move toward their adult height.  It is thought that this rapid growth puts a strain on this thin layer of connective tissue.  This seems most likely to me if the child is deficient in one or more essential nutrients.

This type of pain is felt along the tibia (the shin bone).  The area along the top of the leg between the ankle and the knee will be where the ache is felt.  For some reason, this pain seems to be felt most acutely at night or when the child is holding still.  Perhaps, the child feels it more acutely at these times simply because he is holding still enough to notice the pain!

Anecdote

First Winter

One winter when my four oldest boys were 6 years to 12 years in age, we did a nasty round of the type of shin bone pain described above.  It got painful enough for me to call a doctor and ask some questions.  The doctor assured me that my boys were experiencing nothing more serious than “growing pains.”  He suggested that I encourage them to curtail their activities—running, jumping, and climbing—a bit.  Yeah, right!  If you are the mother of boys, you know how well that sort of suggestion is likely to be heeded!

I kept asking questions, looking for answers that had a better chance of success.  I wanted to know why all of my boys were experiencing these pains in February, rather than in the summer when they were even more active.   The doctor provided no answers that were helpful.  After pondering it myself, I concluded that our wintertime nutrition included fewer good veggies and more treats—think Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s day.   So I improved our family nutrition and tried to limit treats.  It seemed to help.  Eventually, as spring came, the pain in all of the boys seemed to disappear.

Second Winter

The following February, the pains reappeared in the older four boys and in their 4-year old sister.  I was baffled.  We were still paying strict attention to diet and nutrition.  What was going on here?  After pondering—and praying—a phrase from scripture came to mind.  The phrase was “every fruit in the season thereof.”  For those of you who are interested, this scripture is from the Doctrine and Covenants.  How did this apply to my family?  Canning garden produced in the fall and eating it all year long is something my family has done for generations.  As a result, we are eating peaches and pears in the wintertime.  I kept pondering.  I was looking for something that we had begun doing differently within the last two years.  Then it hit me.  A bolt out of the blue, literally.

During the Christmas season of the last two years, a dear friend and neighbor who was the “produce man” for a local grocery store, had begun bringing us oranges.  He brought us any oranges that had begun to go soft as well as cases of oranges that had not been sold during the holiday season.  My kids had been juicing them—by the hundreds, literally.  This began in mid-December and continued all through January.   Every child was drinking as much of this wonderful fresh orange juice as they could!  Oranges do not grow in our climate during the winter season.  They don’t really grow well here in any season.  Was this something that was out of “the season thereof?”

Third Winter

The following winter, we eliminated the total “pig-out” of orange juice consumption.  We didn’t go “cold-turkey” but we did keep consumption to a more reasonable level.  I wondered if I was being a bit crazy, but we tried it anyway.  How could Vitamin C be harmful, especially during the winter?  But my children had experienced no such pain in the winters before the orange juice binges.  They experienced no such pains that winter of limited orange juice.  The only common denominator I could find was the elimination of excessive amounts of citrus during those winter months.

Fourth Winter

That next winter, we spent nearly two weeks visiting my husband’s parents in Arizona.  They had many citrus trees growing on their property.  They served citrus, in some form, with nearly every meal!  And, the kids would just pick oranges and eat them all day long.  I worried.  But I told myself that they were certainly eating all of this citrus “in the season thereof”, at least as long as they were in Arizona!  The kids were playing all day on the desert in the sun, as well.

The results?  No growing pains.   These results held true over the next many years.  We avoided excessive citrus consumption during the winter months at home in Idaho and thoroughly enjoyed fresh citrus in Arizona when we visited there, usually in February.

Myself

I have never been able to handle citrus very well.  As a child, I was simply allergic to all forms of citrus, as well as most other fruits.  Eventually, I beat the allergies, but citrus juices always made my kidneys “act up.”   However, I discovered over the years of visiting Arizona each winter, that citrus, picked right off the tree and eaten in Arizona did not bother me at all.   And, I ate quite a lot of it each year.

The trees on my in-laws’ property were old heirloom trees—as opposed to modern hybrid varieties.  I wondered if that, as much as only eating citrus during the sunnier times of the year, explained why my kidneys could handle citrus in Arizona but not at home.  So, I experimented with that theory by bringing home citrus from Arizona.  What I learned was that in my case anyway, I was less sensitive to the tree-ripened, non-hybrid citrus than to the citrus purchased in my local grocery store.   Was it a matter of hybrid vs. non-hybrid or letting the fruit ripen on the tree that was making the difference?  I don’t know and I have never come across research that I considered valid to shed light on my questions.

Speculation

My mother was famous for a citrus-based drink we all called “Granny’s Punch.”  She added a bit of powdered ascorbic acid to this punch to give it a bit of a kick.  My delicate kidneys could never handle this drink, summer or winter, although I loved it.  Eventually, I discovered that if I left out the powdered ascorbic acid, I could handle this drink quite well in the summer but not in the winter months.  In other words, I could handle the citrus during the summer when I was out in the sun at least part of the time.  But, I could never handle ascorbic acid at all.  Ascorbic acid and vitamin C (ascorbate acid) are not the same things, at all.

Is malabsorption of vitamin C—or citrus fruits, in general—somehow linked to the type of growing pains that seem to be linked to the periosteum?   You will have to make of all this what you will.  I hope I have given you a little food for thought, at least.  In my home, I try to limit the consumption of citrus in the winter—when I get my way!  It worked for us when my children were little.  It works for me­—and my sensitive kidneys, still.

Further Speculation

If citrus, consumed out of season, is linked to growing pains, why do these pains occur only in the legs?  In addition, why are these pains experienced mostly at night?

Growing Pains as a Symptom of Misaligned Feet or Spine

According to one source, an active child may take as many as 7,000 steps a day.  I mention his estimate of a child’s steps mostly because I wonder if he has ever followed a child around for a day wearing a Fitbit device.  I average 15,000 steps a day and I don’t begin to keep up with even one of my grandchildren!  At any rate, if the feet are misaligned, all of the running, jumping and climbing will cause the child’s muscles to pull on the periosteum of their leg bones.  If the strain is too much, the nerve endings will be “triggered.”  This will, naturally, result in pain.  If the child is deficient in those nutrients necessary for nerve and muscle health, this pain will come about more easily and, probably, be more severe.

In a 2010 study, the long-standing “growing pains” of two toddlers were relieved by a chiropractic adjustment to their lumbosacral spines.   I have seen ^LeMillenia oil realign structural problems in some amazing ways.  Might be worth a try before consulting a chiropractor.  ^LeMillenia might also be considered as a follow-up to chiropractic treatment.

Possible Solutions to Consider

Electrolytes

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  This is certainly true about active children in the summer months and the prevention of electrolyte deficiencies.  Please avoid Gatorade.  There are so many better natural ways to guarantee the consumption of sufficient electrolytes.  Magnesium, Calcium, and Potassium are especially essential during the intense growing phases of childhood.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens such as kale, swiss chard, beet greens, bok choy and spinach are especially rich sources of magnesium, calcium and potassium.  Celery, broccoli, and avocado are also excellent sources.

Lemons

Lemons are another good source of potassium, calcium and magnesium.  In addition, lemons detoxify the liver and balance pH levels.  They do all this while giving the immune system a boost, as well.

Sea Salt

Sodium is an electrolyte that the body is especially quick to lose through sweating.  When I am exercising to excess—I tend to do that, sometimes—I will put a bit of salt in water and drink it down.  This has also stopped a migraine attack or two in its tracks.  Please be sure to use a good Himalayan or Celtic sea salt.  Regular table salt just won’t do the job!

Minerals

The body also has the need for minerals other than the ones that are electrolytes.

Iodine is absolutely essential for normal tissue development and growth.  It also plays an important role in how your cells make energy and how they utilize oxygen.  Sources include Dulse, Kelp, Garlic, Mustard Seed, Parsley, Sarsaparilla, Rhubarb (Turkey), and Yarrow

Iron, of course, is essential to the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to hungry muscles.  Sources include Alfalfa, Cascara Sagrada, Catnip, Cayenne, Chamomile, Dandelion, Dong Quai, Eyebright, Fennel, Horsetail, Kelp, Licorice, Milk Thistle, Mullein, Nettles, Oatstraw, Peppermint, Plantain, Raspberry Leaf, Rosehips, Rosemary, Sarsaparilla, and Yarrow.

Zinc is also essential to growth.  It aids in the healing of the bumps and scrapes that children are prone to.  Zinc stimulates the immune system, as well. Sources include Alfalfa, Cayenne, Chamomile, Dandelion, Eyebright, Fennel, Ginger, Hops, Kelp, Milk Thistle, Mullein, Nettles, Parsley, Oatstraw, Peppermint, Rosehips, Sage, Sarsaparilla,  and Wild Yam.

The Butterfly Formula, MIN, is made in glycerin.  This makes it particularly appropriate for children.  It contains herbs that provide a full range of minerals in an absorbable form.  MIN tincture actually tastes pretty good, as well.

Herbals

Herbs are powerhouses of nutrition.  They should be a part of everyday life, rather than reserved only for times of illness.  My book, Butterfly Miracles with Herbal Remedies, contains a basic list of which vitamins are contained in which herbs.

Bee Pollen is recognized in many parts of the world as nature’s most amazing whole food.  This is because it contains nearly all of the nutrients that science has identified— so far­— as necessary for good health in the body.   It stands to reason that if Bee Pollen contains all of the “known” nutrients, it quite probably contains a great many of the ones that science has yet to discover.

Brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of B vitamins.  I am grateful to my grandmother who lived next door to my childhood home for feeding me Brewer’s yeast stirred into milk, nearly every time I came to her house— even for just a few minutes.   Whole grains are also an excellent source of many B vitamins.  Butterfly Express carries a B Vitamin Supplement as well.

Other Herbs to Consider

For the kidneys, if needed:  Cornsilk Marshmallow, and Horsetail.

For the nerves:  Chamomile for small children.  Skullcap or BBL for older children.

Bone Broth

A large portion of the dry weight of bone is made of collagen proteins.  Bone broth is rich in collagen.  Why is this important?

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in the human body.  It is found in bones, muscles, skin, and tendons.  Collagen is what holds our bodies together.  It provides both strength and structure.

Long ago, when my children were little, making soup by boiling bones was a normal way of cooking.  We raised our own meat and utilizing as much of it as possible was the way things were done!  Although bone broth, by itself, is not naturally rich in minerals, adding veggie scraps to the broth significantly increases its mineral content.  In other words, homemade soup!

Essential Oils

Uptake of Nutrients:  Any essential oil that is distilled from the root of a plant will be especially helpful with improving the body’s ability to uptake nutrients.   ^LeEternity, ^LeEverlasting, and ^LeIntention aid the body in absorbing nutrients as does ^LeKadence, which is specific to the absorption of the nutrients necessary to the brain and nervous system.  Single oils that are said to be helpful with nutrient absorption include Hyssop, Nutmeg, Tarragon, and Peppermint.  ^LeWarmDown seems to aid calcium absorption and distribution throughout the body.  In addition, ^LeWarmDown is an excellent remedy for sports injuries, sprains, and muscle spasms.

Pain Relief:    Butterfly Express has added several new blends, ^LeFortitude and ^LeIntensity, that work amazingly well with pain to their lineup.  However, ^LeDeeper is still my favorite.    ^LeBreezey, while thought of as an essential oil blend for breathing issues, has many wonderful oils for the relief of muscle pain.   ^LePaine is anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and calming to nerves.  This blend contains several essential oils that are especially useful for muscle relaxation.  ^LeTendaCare is intended for use with muscles that are tight or spasming.  Some of the essential oils in this blend have excellent nervine properties.    Birch, and any blend containing Birch, will be an excellent choice for growing pains.

Homeopathics

Calcarea phosphorica:  Aids the parathyroid glands.  These glands play a huge role in the absorption, metabolism, and distribution of calcium in the body.   Calcarea phosphorica is mentioned specifically in homeopathic Materia Medicas as a remedy for growing pains.

Magnesia phosphoricum:  One of the things for which this remedy is famous is the relief of muscle cramps and charley horses in the legs.  Specifically noted for muscle cramps that are better for the application of heat.  This remedy is also indicated for muscle cramps that are worse at night, when in bed.

The two homeopathics discussed above are also found as cell salts.  One of the many blessings of cell salts is that they encourage the uptake of the minerals from which they are made.

Rhus toxicodendron:  Hahnemann expressed the keynote of this remedy when he said, “the severest symptoms and sufferings are excited when the body or the limb is at rest and kept as much as possible without movement.”  In other words, symptoms are worse at night.  Rhus toxicodendron is a nerve, muscle, and joint remedy.

Arnica montana:  A remedy to consider if the pains in the legs seem to be related to overexertion of the muscles.

Belladonna:  Cramping pains in the legs.  Involuntary limping.  Symptoms come on suddenly and are worse at night.  A keynote of this remedy is sensitivity to changes in the weather.

Kali phosphoricum:  Paralyzing pain in limbs.  The pain is better with motion and warmth.  This is an excellent remedy for strengthening the nerves.

Massage

Massaging the spasming and painful muscles is often helpful.  This is a great time to utilize the benefits of essential oils as well.  Picking ones that help with nutrient absorption, pain relief or to reduce inflammation.

Chiropractic or CranioSacral Treatment

As mentioned above, both of these modalities may serve to realign the lumbosacral spine, thus improving nerve function to the legs and feet.  Here is a list of Cranial Sacral therapist.

Heat

The application of heat seems to bring relief to almost any kind of growing pain, no matter its cause.

I hope that this article helps you in your journey to help your family and I would love to hear about your successes.  Please feel free to comment on my facebook page.