Risk factor analysis for growing pains in children: Results of parental survey.

OBJECTIVES

To identify lifestyle-related risk factors for growing pains to advance the clinical prevention and management strategies.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted from September 2023 to December 2024, enrolling 290 children clinically diagnosed with growing pains (case group) and 467 age-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent detailed medical history reviews, physical examinations, imaging examination, and laboratory tests. The main data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to both groups.

RESULTS

The results of univariate analysis showed that factors related to growing pains included maternal exposure to smoking environments, child exposure to smoking environments, preference for vegetables, grains, tubers, legumes, and fruits, sports preference, extreme fatigue after exercise, sleeping with parents at night, fear of sleeping alone, sleep latency between 15 and 30 min, sleep latency between 30 and 60 min, and average waking up twice per night (p < 0.050). Multivariate analysis indicated that maternal near-daily exposure to smoking during pregnancy (p = 0.042, odds ratio = 1.926), sleep latency between 30 and 60 min (p < 0.001, odds ratio = 3.696), and extreme fatigue after exercise (p = 0.015, odds ratio = 15.554) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of growth pain. On the other hand, legume preference (p = 0.001, odds ratio = 0.442) and sports preference (p = 0.009, odds ratio = 0.486) were protective factors against the occurrence of growth pains.

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent maternal smoking exposure during pregnancy, prolonged sleep latency (30-60 min), and post-exercise exhaustion are independently associated with a higher prevalence of growing pains. And the preference for legumes and participation in sports were associated with a lower prevalence of growing pains.

SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY: The preference for legumes and participation in sports were associated with a lower prevalence of growing pains.