Leg painin a child most often takes the form of a so-called growth pain. Its characteristic features are the location of the pain (typically in the calves and thighs), the appearance of the pain in the evening and at night with its resolution in the morning, and the fact that growth pains usually occur in both lower limbs of the child. Growing pains can be severe, but typically do not lead to gait disturbances in the child.

However, the cause of a child's leg pain may not only be minor growth pains, but also serious systemic diseases. Examples of conditions that can cause leg pain in children include juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Lyme disease, systemic lupus erythematosus and even leukaemia.

So when is it necessary to see a doctor with a child who complains of leg pain? First and foremost when the child has symptoms other than just pain. A constant feeling of tiredness, a tendency to bruise easily, nosebleeds and frequent infections (which can be symptoms of leukaemia), as well as erythema migrans, facial paralysis and fever (which can occur in connection with Lyme disease) should all be of concern. A visit to the doctor should also be made if the child's leg pain is accompanied by marked redness and swelling of the joints, gait disturbances (e.g. in the form of limping) or a sudden loss of appetite, weight loss and a constant feeling of tiredness.