Can a child have growing pains of the arm? I’ve only ever heard of growing pains in the leg but our daughter is complaining of arm pain. She can move the arm ok so that’s the only possible explanation I can think of.

Although what we refer to as growing pains mostly occurs in the legs (thighs, knees, shins, calves), this type of symptom is reported in the arms by a small number of children.

In either location, the pain begins most often during the night either keeping the child awake or awakening the child after falling asleep. Afternoon is another common time period when the pains are reported.

Most children experience pain lasting anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. The frequency (how often pain occurred) seems to be much more variable. Some children report pain every day while others either have pain once a week or less often (e.g., once a month, once every three months).

The pain is often severe enough to wake the child up and cause crying. Massage and over-the-counter pain medications are enough to relieve symptoms. Some children have to rest and limit their activities before the pain will go away.

If none of these home remedies work for your daughter, make an appointment to see her pediatrician for further testing and follow-up.