Everything you need to know about managing joint and bone pain in kids

There is no doubt that pain in joints is a very commonly reported issue in kids but you need to be very much aware of when you have to worry and when you have to ignore it. Children will usually complain of joint pain very often because they are physically active and the majority of such episodes are not at all serious or a part of growing pain. However, if such aspects are becoming repetitive or present with other symptoms then it could be a clear sign of an underlying condition that you need to take seriously. So, consulting paediatric orthopedics for child in such cases will be highly recommended for the parents. 

Common causes of joint pain in kids are:

1. Growing pain: This is one of the most common causes of pain in kids because as the name suggests this will be a part of growth. Since children in between the age group of 3-10 years will be very active, this is a very common scenario in them. Such pain will be presenting in the evening and will be going away by the morning and most commonly it will be affecting the legs of the kids. In some cases, it could be intense but whenever the children wake up from sleep it will be no more prevalent.
2. Infection: Infections are another very common cause of joint and bone pain in kids because usually, it will be a result of viral infections like flu, common cold and others. Joint pain in such conditions will be known as viral arthritis which is transient as well as might. It could lead to stiffness in the joints that will last for a couple of days or two couple of weeks but generally, it will be resolved on its own without any requirement of support of therapy.
3. Injuries: Another very frequent reason behind joint pain in children is injuries including acute injuries like strain or fracture and usually it will be a result of falling down or a sudden twist. Other symptoms related to this particular scenario will be swelling, immediate pain and limited movement in the affected joint. So, getting in touch with the orthopaedics for kids in such cases will be very important for parents to discuss these things clearly and eventually remain on the right path of treatment.
4. Hypermobility syndrome: Some of the children will be suffering from this particular problem in which the joints will be moving beyond the normal range of motion and children in such cases will be experiencing joint pain even after a basic physical activity like stretching or normal range of motion. This will lead to a lot of discomfort and sometimes there will be chronic pain as well. 
5. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: As soon as individuals hear the term arthritis, they will associate it with old age but unfortunately children will also be affected by the diseases of the joint. This is a condition that will be affecting the joints of kids and it could be a clear cause of the joint pain. This is basically an autoimmune condition which can affect the joints in any part of the body and is a long-lasting condition that requires specific treatment by paediatric rheumatologists and orthopaedic experts. 
6. Haematology-related problems: Some of the children will also be developing the joints immediately after a trauma or injury because of an underlying bleeding disorder. So, in some children suffering from bone pain, night pain will lead to awakening and night crying which is a serious condition that you need to take seriously. So, getting in touch with the doctors in such cases will be important so that diagnosis and prognosis will be carefully done. 

Some of the common symptoms related to joint pain that you have to take seriously are:

1. Swelling in the joints 
2. Early morning stiffness and joint stiffness which will be leading to worsening of the pain 
3. Consistent limping 
4. Facing the problem of restriction of joint movement 
5. Fever and rashes 
6. Night pain with children waking up in the middle of the night 
7. Bleeding tendency red spots on the skin  
8. Consistent problem of loss of appetite or weight loss 
9. Persistent joint pain for more than 10 or 15 days 

Identification of the common cause of joint pain is the very first step to treat it and for this consulting the orthopaedic doctors will be highly recommended so that things are sorted out. Additionally consulting the doctor at the best rheumatology hospital for child will be also important for parents so a detailed examination, history and medical testing will be done in addition to the scan or blood test if required. After the initial examination, the practitioner will refer the children to the super specialist depending on the condition and the joint condition will be addressed by a rheumatologist, immunologist or orthopaedic surgeon depending on the nature of the pain. Fractures and injuries will be addressed by the surgeon and a paediatric rheumatologist will be treating conditions like arthritis in kids. The treatment options in this particular case will be different in some of the cases ranging from simple medication to long-term treatment depending on the presenting condition.

Conclusion: 

Joint pain in kids is a very common scenario but it could be serious in some of the underlying conditions at many times which is the main reason that you should never ignore the basic symptoms related to joint pain in kids. It is highly recommended that people get in touch with a paediatrician and paediatric rheumatologist in cases of doubt because early diagnosis will be always successful in providing the children with a stress-free life which will be away from unwanted disabilities, deformities and complications in life. Eventually, this will be also helpful in making sure that there will be no chance of any kind of misconception at any point in time and that things will be very well sorted out without any problem. Hence taking care of the kids and recognising the symptoms as mentioned earlier will be highly recommended for parents to provide their kids with the best well-being at all times.