Back Pain In Children: What To Do? – Being Parents

Few of the sensations are as bothersome as back pain in children, a symptom that can range from sporadic and mild to severe in a small minority of cases. Although medical evaluation is always important, there are some factors that can be changed at home to improve the quality of life for the little ones.

Likewise, certain behaviors must be avoided so as not to worsen the situation or generate other effects, such as self-medication. In the following lines we will talk about the most general aspects, causes and behavior to follow in case your child has back pain. Read on!

Why does back pain occur in children?

According to a publication in Comprehensive Pediatrics in 2014, back pain in children can be the result of multiple pathological and non-pathological conditions. In fact, it is estimated that between 95% and 99% of cases there is no association with a specific disease or event, known as “non-specific pain”.

In this large proportion of children, there may be associated factors that partly explain the pain. For example, abundant physical activity (or lack of it), obesity and the misuse of backpacks in schools are representative examples.

In rare cases, there are diseases that can cause this problem. They are much less common than in adults, in whom certain diseases such as arthritis are common in health centers. Some of these diseases are as follows:

• Herniated disc : When a structure in the spine called the “intervertebral disc” swells or protrudes beyond normal limits and is able to compress or irritate a nerve, causing symptoms. It is more common in adolescents than in young children.
• Tumors of the spine : these can be divided into benign and malignant tumors. In general, they are rare, although there are malignant bone tumors more common in children than in adults.
• Deformities : this is the typical case of scoliosis, a pathology in which the spine deviates to one side.

What to do with back pain in children?

As we mentioned, back pain in children can be common, but it is rarely due to major conditions. Before going to the doctor, it is advisable to think about the situations or behaviors that could influence the onset of pain. In this sense, you can think of the following:

• Does the pain start at a specific time of the day?
• Is the binder load too heavy? Is the child putting it on correctly?
• Does your child get a lot of exercise? Or, on the contrary, is the child characterized by his sedentary lifestyle?
• Have you noticed any problems with depression, continued sadness, or school isolation?

In most cases, the answer to any of these questions is yes. From home, it is possible to intervene to improve some of these “risk factors” and reduce the intensity and frequency of pain.

What you should not do ?

In most cases, it is temporary to give your little one a pain reliever that is commonly used at home (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen). Although many of these medicines are available without a prescription and are safe, it is important to consider these aspects in relation to the child :

• Age.
• Intensity of pain.
• Drug allergies.

Self-medication (or, in this case, the administration of drugs without medical indication) is not recommended. For this reason, it is more than advisable to do a brief consultation with a pediatrician or family doctor.

In fact, if this is prolonged over time, it can increase the incidence of side effects. Today, the facilities for getting to a medical consultation are greater, including the option of telemedicine.

Is it still necessary to go to the doctor?

If the pain attracts a lot of parental attention or is a problem in the child’s life, it is advisable to go to the doctor as soon as possible. This consultation can be scheduled with sufficient time in case of very sporadic sensation and slight intensity.

In principle, it is best to consult a pediatrician or family doctor, depending on the age of the child or the region in which you live. If necessary, one of them could refer you to another specialist such as a neurosurgeon, traumatologist or orthopedist.

What are the warning signs?

In case of an increase in the volume of the spine, constant fever, general pain throughout the body and radiation in the legs, obesity or behavioral problems related to depression, it is advisable to consult a doctor as soon as possible. There is probably an underlying condition that needs to be diagnosed!

A common symptom, but one that should not be overlooked

Back pain in children can be a real nuisance, even for parents who naturally worry about the health of their children. As we mentioned, in most cases this is due to behavioral or emotional issues that might improve with some changes at home.

To dispel doubts, going to a specialist doctor will always be the best option. Try to write the answer to the questions we asked somewhere, along with any recent lab studies that have been done for whatever reason.