First things first: No, growing pains are not actually a direct result of a child’s growing body. \u201cGrowing should not hurt,” says Saylor. In fact, the cause of what we know as growing pains is rather unexpected. \u201cWe typically see these issues when a kid’s pelvis is out of alignment,” Saylor explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A childhood full of trips, falls, tumbling around, and playing often involves countless impacts on a child’s lower back and pelvis. The more out-of-alignment this part of the body is, the more pressure lying down in bed puts on their low back and pelvis, says Saylor. This pressure affects the nerves that run through the lower back and down the legs, and as a result, the lower body can tense up and spasm\u2014and cause your little one to wake up in serious pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHave you ever been woken up by a\u00a0leg cramp<\/a>\u00a0so bad that you couldn’t move your toes?” Saylor asks. \u201cThat’s what these pains feel like; kids just often don’t know how to describe them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n As any parent of a child dealing with growing pains knows, the discomfort not only impacts your child’s sleep but the sleep of pretty much everyone in the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSome kids wake up every night crying in pain\u2014and then take a good half-hour or so to calm down and fall back asleep,” says Saylor. \u201cA kid might go months without any issues and then have a streak of experiencing these pains every single night,” Saylor says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During these bouts, children often feel extra-tired during the day, which further stresses their already out-of-balance bodies and increases the likelihood that they’ll continue to have overnight pain. Research suggests it can also affect their participation in school and recreational activities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related: <\/strong>A sleep coach’s 5-step plan for getting your kids to sleep<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If growing pains are keeping your child (and you) up at night, Saylor recommends seeing a pediatric chiropractor, who can make a series of gentle adjustments to the lower back and pelvis to get their growing body back in alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a few helpful at-home tricks can also help ease their pain and normalize your family’s sleep schedule. In addition to making sure your growing kid is well-hydrated (and consuming plenty of electrolytes\u2014minerals that help support muscle and nerve function), Saylor also recommends nightly Epsom salt baths<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAdd an Epsom salt blend that contains\u00a0lavender<\/a>, which is known to be soothing, to the tub and have your child soak for five to 10 minutes,” she says. It’s an easy addition to a bedtime routine that helps soothe a child’s body and mind for bed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Is your child experiencing growing pains? Check out our best mattress for kids<\/p>\n \n This dual-sided innerspring mattress provides optimal support and comfort to children of all ages. Simply flip it over from the 3+ side to the 8+ side when your child is ready.<\/p>\n\n\n How growing pains mess with sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Easing growing pains\u2014and reclaiming your family’s sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n <\/a>\n\n \n Youth Mattress<\/a>\n <\/h4>\n\n \n