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Night-time foot pain in children

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Jun 28, 2008.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    I have read some interesting comments on here. My grandson (almost 4) has been complaining of sore legs for over a year now. He has been diagnosed with flat feet and I believe the leg pain is related to the extra work his leg muscles have to do to keep him moving, although there could be another reason (see below). Massage in this case does seem to help. However, in recent months he has begun waking during the night in a great deal of distress complaining of pain in his foot/feet. Contrary to what others have said though, he will not let anyone touch is foot when he has this type of pain. The foot usually feels quite warm to the touch, which makes me wonder whether this is some sort of inflammatory process. I do think the leg pains and foot pains are from different causes. Interestingly, some recent blood tests have indicated that he has Haemochromatosis (high iron levels), which can manifest in leg and other pains. However, I have not been able to find any reliable documentation on symptoms showing up in a child so young. We are awaiting further specialist appointments.
     
  2. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hello, my son has been having this problem, also with his knee, on the same foot (right) for over a year now. He wakes up, inconsolable and sometimes outright panicking because of the pain. I know he wasn't faking it either. After I got him to sleep, I thought maybe he was exaggerating it so I felt it was worth ruling out before making his appt. I touched the area of his foot he had indicated was the problem (his arch) and he woke up and again and screamed. I felt like poop for making him hurt again, but at least I know he is not faking it.

    We both have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and I am wondering if it is related. I have foot issues as well (strange curling-sensation type pains in my arch, when I am standing a lot) and what I think must be bursitis in my big toe, since gout and arthritis and injury have been ruled out. My son is 4.5 yrs and he has always been flat-footed and over-pronates. When he first started complaining of his knee, I took him to my joint doc and he did an x-ray and also blood work. My son's films where fine, except it showed he has mild hip dysplasia and he also mentioned it was possible he had "discoid meniscus" which I know little about, other than I am assuming it's a misshapen meniscus.

    While I only have the pains when I first wake and when I am on my feet too long, my son mostly seems to get them at rest, especially in his sleep, and even more frequently at night. Also, he has been having problems with his stomach as well, he alternates between normal bowel movements and then nothing but greasy water, with no patterns in his diet or any indications of it being an illness to blame. He never has a fever, he acts fine, no malaise, no one else ever "catches" it, etc. I just have no idea what I should do- I really don't want to make an appt for foot pain and diarrhea, when neither is really adversely affecting the majority of his day, he is not too limited by it. But it is certainly distressing to me to see him in this kind of pain and to deal with these issues. I just don't want to get the appt, go in, pay my co-pay and be told "Eh, it's growing pains" or "Eh, it's something viral."

    Some of these children I believe, especially when they describe the pains as "cold", are possibly experiencing Raynaud's Syndrome. I had that to some degree when I was breastfeeding. The cold causes constriction with vasospasms which can cause pain.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Well this is fascinating. I do feel a little guilty b/c I was starting to wonder if my daughter has been faking. She is 4 1/2 and has been waking up with foot pain off and on for the last year or so. It doesn't happen very often, maybe once every month or 2, but when it does she is in tears. I was wondering if she was faking or just having nightmares and for some reason kept using her foot as an excuse. It just seemed odd that her feet never bother her during the day, only at night. Sometimes just one and sometimes both. I am glad to know we aren't alone, although it seems that not very many people have found answers. Looks like I have some research to do!
     
  4. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I feel as if I'm a little late on the topic, but I'm a 20 year old female. When I was younger I would have the same pains in my feet and the back of my calves. My mom and dad always attributed it to 'growing pains' although I know there is 'no such thing'. It was pretty severe when I was younger, but at 20, I still get them from time to time. OTC pain meds usually took care of my symptoms (ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.).
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Oh my god - Yes! Yes to the itching, heart murmur and stomach issues/malabsorption since he was little (he is 5 now) he was diagnosed with Gastritis and Gerd last year and has been on Zoton for a long while. He still gets bad stomach pains all the time though. And he gets awful foot cramps all the time - maybe 3 times a week sometimes more, they can last hours and I have to massage them out - he is screaming in pain. I also get these cramps and have done since I was little. It has come to light in the last few years that I have a couple of autoimmune diseases - celiac and some kind of Connective tissue one that they cant pintpoint.
     
  6. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    My husband found this board at 1:30 am while up with my daughter who was crying with foot pain. she is almost 7 and this has been going on for close to 4 years now. We have done the following: 1. massage the foot (I use lavender oil with the massage) 2. I bought this arnica cream for soreness and rub that in as well. 3. What I've found to really help was bambini shoe inserts. My sister told me to try it because her daughter went through the same thing and the guy in the shoe store recommended it. She uses it for herself too. I ordered it for my daughter and it was amazing. We put it in her shoes and her night pain stopped. One night she woke up in pain again and I thought Oh Well -guess it doesn't really work but when I went to get her shoes I realized that someone took the inserts out and put it in another pair of shoes! That made me realize how much it helped her. Shoe inserts got lost in beginning of summer. She wore crocs all summer long and had no pain. Started school yesterday (new school shoes) and was crying last night in pain. It happened to be quite cold outside so interesting to note that cold may do it. Her shoes are good shoes and they fit well so I don't think its the shoes but I'm going to buy another pair of those inserts.
    My husband gave her tylenol and she finally fell asleep. I don't think tylenol is a good and healthy solution. It happens too often to keep taking tylenol.
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi about 2yrs ago my son who was 6 yrs old at that time would complain that his feet hurt this went on for about 6 months I took him to his doctor and she couldn't figure out what it was she send us home with motrin well it got worst because my son just stopped walking completely he would cry and sceam every time he tried to walk so I got really worried and I keept taking him to the doctor and she did x- rays and didn't find anything . I told her that at night it was worst because my son would wake up in the middle of the night screaming and crying due to the pain . So she referred. My son to a spacialist in childrens hospital well they did the samething x- rays and nothing at this time my son was using a wheel chair the dr send us home saying he was feaking it he was just trying to get some attention well I didn't believe it I believed my son I know he was in a lot of pain so I keept taking him and insisting for a mri well after 4 stressful months fighting with dr, and specialist they finally agreed to do a mri well on dec-16-2009 I got the worst news of my life the results came back and he was diagnosis. With lymphoma leukemia my son is still fighting. This disease. He is on chemotherapy for 2 yrs now and he is walking and doing much bettet now. I just feel that I should tell other parents that you should believe your kids and don't give up make sure you know for. sure what your child really has we have to push the doctors and keep taking them to the doctor. If I would of believe the dr when she said my son is feakin it and that he may have mental problems my son probably wouldn't be here.
     
  8. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi, I'm a 41 year old female and when I was little, maybe 4-9/10, I had this problem. My mother, brothers or sister would constantly be rubbing my foot at night so I could go to sleep or go back to sleep, it's one of those stories that always gets told when reminiscing about when I was a child -how "everyone had to rub Krissy's feet". One doctor told my mother it may be due to me being "over-tired". I guess I would only take naps occasionally as a child, and when I did, they were very short, 15-30 minutes I'm told, so the over-tired reason sounded acceptable. As an adult, I do often still get foot pain, at least once a week, it's almost always the right foot and it IS often at night when I'm tired. Mine doesn't feel cold, it just hurts down to the bones, every toe joint, the arch, the top - basically the top half of my foot. Rubbing it, either someone else or myself, provides the most relief. I also wonder if it's some kind of arthritis at this point. But I, nor my family members, will ever forget the countless nights I was in pain, I am so grateful for one brother in particular who was an older teenager at the time and would be the one to rub my foot 9 times out of 10.

    So my advice to parents and any older siblings or family members in the household is to please be patient and please rub away, it will bring relief, both physical AND emotional to your child during these times - and they'll remember it for the rest of their lives.
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Dear Foot Doc,
    My nine year old daughter has been waking weekly at night with excruciating foot pain, it is now coming during the day. Today her teacher wrote a note to say it struck during school hours. I have tried many things to alleviate this over the last six years. the pain is predominantly on the top of her foot over her instep. I have tried insoles, massages, hot towels, pain killers..etc.
    I am going to new Gp this week for review, is there anything else I should be doing?
    Regards and thanks.
    d
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    How are you. I have a 8 yr old little girl and have had every blood test done and nothing has came about, I also have had her at the dr numerous times and have gotten no where with anything. They all like to say growing pains, but if it was there child crying in pain up at night im sure they would have came up with the real "growing pains" diagnosis. I am just so sad that there is nothing I can do or go to for help. Have you gotten any further with your search. As I type I just rubbed her foot back to sleep, once again. poor thing. please let me know if you found out anything because your siutation was so similiar to ours when I read it! Thanks so much and I hope your little girl is doing better! : ) Lisa and Gianna
     
  11. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hey everyone, sorry to hear about your kids and yourselves with this terrible foot thing.

    I have a 8 yr old little girl and have had every blood test done and nothing has came about, I also have had her at the dr numerous times and have gotten no where with anything. They all like to say growing pains, but if it was there child crying in pain up at night im sure they would have came up with the real "growing pains" diagnosis. I am just so sad that there is nothing I can do or go to for help. As I type I just rubbed her foot back to sleep, I dont know what to do, every dr likes to direct you to the next dr and so on, and if it was me I wouldnt be so worried but its my poor little girl and I just wish I could make it stop or better yet make it not even start. Good luck to all and please share with me anything to help

    : ) Lisa and Gianna
     
  12. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Okay so in a panic I looked up childrend foot pain to see what to do for my poor littl guy, he just turned 7 and this has never happened before. Around 20:30 last night my son started cmplaining about foot pain, he's like "mom" my feet hurt because they' re "COLD" so naturally as a mom I rubbed his little feet and then told him to put a blanket on. He complained until bed and then cried when he was putting his pjs on and then I started to worrie a little after he fell asleep thinking what can be wong with my kid??? Well at around 00:15 I hear this sobbing noise I'm thinking it's the neighbors so I check on my kids and its son bawling his eyes crying out about both his feet hurting and asked why he thought they may hurt he just cried out "I don't know mom they just really hurt" As for the cold thing he describes it as "WALKING ON SHARP ICE" He also said "IT FEELS LIKE FROZEN PORQUPINES ARE BITTING HIS FEETS" Then asked him if it felt tingly? He said yeah mommy like whemy hands go to sleep. My remedy ...... I picked him up comforted him walked around with him in my arms gave him some childrens tylenol rubbed his feet filled bowl of warm plain tap water and let his feet soak then I refilled his bowl but this time I putt warmer water and continued this about or so times each time with warmmer water till hot ut still barable for a little guy gave him some hot choclate with marshmellows let him play some late videogames he's totally fine now!! Thankgawwwd G-LUCK TO Y'ALL <3
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    You could try soaking them in warm water gradually making it warmer rub them and childrens pain Meds goodluck.
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    hi i have a child 2 and half years old. i was wondering when its time to sleep at night and very sleepy he complains his toes , as u can see he sometimes fold his toes and i was wondering what happened, if i ask him he said it hurts... can anybody explain to me if this is growing pains or just grabbing our attention ....
     
  15. Mommy of 2

    Mommy of 2 Guest

    My daughter now 9 never complained but my son 2 is very
    Active and has experienced this 3 times. Last night he woke up at 4am crying and Grabbing his feet saying shoes(he doesn't know they're called feet). His shoes are not the problem as he has had on different shoes when this happened and I buy him wide stretchy shoes. I gave him pain reliever, massaged his feet with baby oil and put on thick socks. I was worried at first but now I think is only common sense that after a long active day his little body gets tired. He runs, jumps, stretches all day. I ran 4 miles the other day and by night my legs and feet felt as if i had fallen off a cliff, so imagine your busy busy little bees. His also expressed his feeling at the end of day like most parents on this blog. If this continues as he gets older i will get an evaluation
    but for now it's only been 3 times and within a year since he's been more active. He woke up this morning, storming into the room to watch bubble guppies.
     
  16. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Massage her feet with some type of oil, i use baby oil on my baby and give him pain medicine. Comfy socks and make sure they dont step on cold floor specially in the morning since their bodies are warm. That can cause cramps. My daughter doesn't have this problem but she is not as active as the baby.
     
  17. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Try having your child wear thick warm wool socks and tucking them over their long pajamas. Use body heat to warm feet.

    Their body temperature is dropping at night and the feet get even colder. They started walking a few years ago but became especially active recently because they got stronger i.e. jumping, running, hopping, other crazy things kids do. This puts stress on their legs and feet they haven't ever experienced before. This stress shows up at night especially on colder nights. So keep those little feet toasty at night using their own body heat with long thick wool socks tucked over their pajamas to keep the body heat over their feet and legs. This method is also works if your feet are cold as well although it would look funny if you did it in public.
     
  18. HONESTLY, all I can say is... "me too".
    My 6 year old niece suffers from it every single night as well... its really sucky.
    She cries, sometimes even silently until someone massages her feet. She falls asleep shortly after. It only happens at night and feet are most definitely not cold.

    If it helps ANYONE on this forum: I heard somewhere, some pain is mainly psychological. So I told her that I was going to rub "Magic cream" on her feet (it was just normal body lotion). I massaged it into her feet and she fell asleep a lot quicker than she usually does. So to be honest I'm just confused as to whether its all in her head, of if it hurts and she makes a big deal, or if she's in genuine pain and just falls asleep with it because she's just THAT tired.

    My poor baby ;(
     
  19. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Am i the only one who would NOT make use of the services of Foot Dic (not a typo) based solely on his perceived lack of bedside manner? I found this thread looking for short term remedies for the pain my 4 yr old has been struggling with for months. But I am almost immediately turned off by this guy's arrogance. Seems like a miserable individual.
     
  20. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    First of all i would like to say who ever u r foot doc u seem 2 b very rude! These people are concerned about their children and u take a rude sarcastic tone with many of ur replies. Second my child has also had these same night pains and i assumed she was just having what my mom always told me was charlie horses in my feet. She said it was a lack of potassium in my system and would give me a banana and send me back to bed i have also done the same for my daughter. Just this very night to be exact. I give her a banana and have her slowly walk it out and she then goes back to bed.
     
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