There is a lot of misunderstanding about growing pains in children. The terms growing pains is unfortunately used as a term to dismiss anything like leg pains in children. The term growing pains should really be reserved for pain in the leg of children; that only occurs at night (usually wakes them from sleep); is in the back of the knee or upper calf muscle; and is self-limiting. If the pain is in bone or a joint or occurs during the day, then it is something else. Some of the other causes of growing pains in children are potentially very serious, so all need to be investigated to see if it’s a true growing pain or one of those rarer serious problems. The cause of growing pains in children is not really known, but it does appear to be related to biochemical issues associated with fatigue. The treatment of growing pains in children is really just reassurance of the child, some gentle massage to get them back to sleep.