(HealthDay News) -- Growing pains are muscle aches and pains that occur most often in children between the ages of 3-5 and 8-12. These pains could be caused by a child's strenuous play, and usually affect muscles, rather than the joints.
The Nemours Foundation offers these suggestions to help soothe your child's growing pains:
- Massage the muscles in areas your child says are sore.
- Have your child do some light stretching.
- Apply a heating pad to the sore areas.
- Give her ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce pain.
