Growing Pains in Children and Adolescents
A Q&A With Dr. Suzanne Yandow
Suzanne Yandow
Dr. Suzanne Yandow, chief of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Seattle Children’s, addresses questions about growing pains in children and adolescents.
Thank you to Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician at The Everett Clinic in Mill Creek, a member of Seattle Children’s medical staff and executive director of Digital Health, and author of the Seattle Mama Doc blog, for submitting these questions.
Are there new updates or insights as to who gets growing pains?
No. They’re not well understood scientifically. The belief of what causes growing pains is that bone grows first, which then stimulates the growth of muscle and soft tissue. It’s during this period of rapid skeletal growth that the muscles and tendons lag behind the bone growth, causing a discomfort for kids because of the increased stretch and pressure. Read full post »
