Pay Attention When Your Child Complains of Back Pain
People of all ages experience back pain, and usually, kids are able to recover very quick from injuries that cause them pain, so their back pain usually is a result of some kind of injury, and they recover and are okay until the next incidence occurs. If your child complains of back pain, and there have been no injuries, or the pain lasts for more than a day or so, you should take him or her to the pediatrician, just to be certain everything is okay. Don’t be surprised if your pediatrician orders a battery of tests, as a complaint of back pain is so uncommon in children. He will conduct his own examination, may perform a urinalysis, and depending on his own suspicions, may order X-rays, or even an MRI, to rule out a serious problem. You will probably be referred to a specialist, who can get to the bottom of your child’s back pain, and treat it appropriately. You have to act quickly, or the problem causing the pain could result in a permanent condition that your child will have to deal with for the rest of his life.
No one is able to say just exactly what might cause your child to complain of back pain, as it varies from child to child. The younger your child is, the more unusual the complaint is. Young children rarely do anything in their play that would end up in back pain, unless they fall, and unless the injury sustained is severe, they recover well with rest and Tylenol for pain. Worst case scenario, your child could have an unknown spinal defect, a tumor, or even a spinal infection such as meningitis. If upon inspection no bruising or sign of injury is found, it is time to become seriously concerned, until a specialist advises you otherwise.
Older children often play sports or perform other dangerous feats that often result in injury, so they are much more likely to complain of back pain. Kids often injure their vertebrae playing sports, such as football, and while it may be a good idea to let the pediatrician check it out, you will likely be told just to make the child rest until the injury has had time to heal adequately. Try to talk to your older children about how easily they could seriously injure their backs, and that they should think twice before trying to do something to show off for their friends. There isn’t a lot you can do about sports related injuries, they are going to happen sooner or later, particularly if you have an active child who loves competitive sports.
It is rare for an older child to come down with a spinal infection or tumor. Oftentimes, back pain in older children is caused by scoliosis, or a curving of the spine. Young girls are particularly susceptible to this condition, because they often practice poor posture, and slump. Still yet, most back pain from the onset of puberty through adulthood is more likely related to injury.
You have to use your best judgment about deciding whether or not your child needs to be seen by a doctor, but in the case of back pain, it is not something that you should just blow off as another random complaint, particularly if the complaints are frequent.
