Joint Pains In Children

A Pediatric Rheumatologist is a specialist who deals with children suffering from arthritis and other connective tissue diseases. Most of these diseases are autoimmune in origin, a condition where our immune system attacks our tissues!

Parents of young children often worry about joint and limb pains in their children and are not sure, whether medical attention is needed. Some of these children may have arthritis and such parents must seek an opinion from a Pediatric Rheumatologist.

Here are some common questions asked to a Pediatric Rheumatologist:

• Do we have to take our child for some tests when they complain of joint & leg pain?
• Do we need to get an X-ray done to identify the problem?
• My child finds it difficult to walk around and his gait seems different. What should I do?
• Does my child have arthritis?
• When should I be worried about my child's joint pain problems as a parent?

This article would attempt to address these questions. This will minimize unwarranted anxiety in parents to some extent, and also guide parents as to when should they seek early and effective consultation with the Pediatrician/Rheumatologist for the Best Joint Pain Treatment For Kids In Bangalore.

Growing Pains

During the evening hours, when children are back from school, they frequently complain of limb pains. Throughout the day, they are otherwise active. These children often become cranky during the sleeping hours and continue to shift their legs restlessly. When their legs are massaged, they feel comforted. When they wake up in the morning, they do not have any complaints. No swelling is seen in any of the joints. These signs point to what we refer to as "growing pains."

These are pains noted in growing children, as the name suggests. They are a part and parcel of the normal development of many kids. Some of these children may have a Vitamin D deficiency which a pediatrician can easily treat. When kids mature into their teens, these pains subside. For these children, any blood test or x-ray is not necessary.

Arthritis

It is important to know when it is urgent to obtain advice about joint pain. If a child has the following joint pain issues, they must be treated as "warning signs" and urgent consultation and proper assessment are required.

• Joint swelling: If the child reports of pain and there is joint swelling/ warmth across the joints.
• Morning stiffness: It is difficult for a child to move in the early morning hours when he/she wakes up with joint pains or limps while walking, but gets better as the day passes.
• Fever with joint pain: Fever and joint pain may be caused by a viral infection (dengue/chikungunya). However, it may sometime be due to a sinister underlying disease (blood cancer).
• Joint pain with skin rashes: These needs urgent evaluation. This may be due to a simple viral fever or occasionally due to an underlying disease affecting blood vessels (called ‘vasculitis’ in medical terms).
• Loss of weight or poor appetite.

Children can also develop rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory arthritis) in the same way as adults, which may cause permanent joint damage. We call it “Juvenile Arthritis” in children. These kids complain of joint pain and often have one or more joints that swell. Pain and stiffness in the morning hours are worse. They develop deformities if not treated in time. It is important to note that parents frequently seek an orthopedic opinion on such issues, though there is no orthopedic problem. These children must be properly assessed by Paediatricians and Paediatric Rheumatologists. Further, they should get blood tests and need long term medical attention.

Few health tips to keep your child’s joints and muscles strong:

• Vitamins and minerals rich food: Diet must include fresh fruits and vegetables. For those who consume a non-vegetarian diet, fish liver oil is a good source of vitamins required for bone health. Let your child consume them daily.
• Drink plenty of water: It is good to have 1-2 litres of water every day, it helps avoid muscle aches. Further, this helps in proper digestion and limits constipation; thus water is crucial for a healthy living.
• 30 min walk/ jog daily for a minimum of 5 days/week.

Developing healthy habits in the daily routines from childhood will help keep your child fit for years.

Get in touch with Aster CMI Bangalore to seek medical help from the Best Pediatric Immunologist and Rheumatologist in Bangalore.