When a child is ill or in pain, it can be incredibly distressing and also worrying for their parents and families. We hope to be able to provide the answers that will help your child.

Many children get growing pains and they are something that children may go through but will go away on their own, without the need for medical treatment. While growing pains can be normal, if they are persistent then there are a few points that may help you to understand if there is something more serious: the pain may be in just one leg and is still there in the morning when the child wakes up. It could be so painful it stops your child from walking or makes them limp and it also seems to be in the joints. Furthermore, if there is anything visible like a high temperature, rash or swelling or your child has lost their appetite and is losing weight, then this could be an indication that they need to see a doctor.

Many children have curly toes and sometimes this can be more visible in some children than others. It can go away by itself and if it is not causing any problems such as pain or discomfort, it might not be a problem for your child at all. However, if you are concerned it is worth having your child assessed. By reviewing your child we can see whether it is improving on its own or if any assistance is required.

For many children, their legs may straighten by themselves before they turn 7 years old. In some, this may not happen and children may have knee pain or it may cause a bit of difficulty walking. For these children, a visit to the doctor may help to establish if there is an underlying problem or if any treatment is needed. In addition, if a child under the age of 2 has knock knees, the gap between their feet is more than 8 inches, or if the problem just affects one leg, then these are further indications that a doctor may need to assess your child.

Depending on where a fracture was, it can be simple or more complicated. The usual recovery time is 6-8 weeks and there are a few things you can do to help this. My main advice is to keep using the limb as pain allows to prevent stiffness and speed up recovery. Playing computer games or an instrument is good for your child’s recovery. Our virtual fracture clinic information videos can help you manage some simple injuries without attending hospital. Other injuries would require a clinic review to give your child an individual management plan. Our virtual fracture clinic can help put together a treatment plan that will set out what is required. Here children are assessed by a consultant within 72 hours - the clinic has been funded by the charity Rockinghorse. Following an assessment, parents are contacted with a treatment plan. This helps to keep children out of hospital - children remember and can worry about hospital appointments so if we can reduce these, we can also reduce the anxiety they may feel.