Leg cramps in a child

Leg cramps or spasms are manifested by involuntary contraction of the muscles of the lower extremities. Adults have often encountered this unpleasant and painful phenomenon. It turns out that this can also be observed in children, only they are not always able to explain what is happening to them. Parents should pay attention and respond to complaints. [ 1 ]

Epidemiology

According to statistics, the greatest number of convulsions is observed in children in their first year of life. On average, 16 out of 1,000 newborns exhibit convulsive muscle contractions. In 75% of cases, precursors to epilepsy appear in childhood. [ 2 ]

Causes Leg cramps in a child

Leg cramps occur for a number of reasons, [ 3 ] including:

• uncomfortable sleeping position;
• lack of calcium, potassium, and vitamin D in the body;
• flat feet;
• intensive growth of the child;
• hypothermia;
• intoxication (with flu, colds, poisoning);
• latent disease;
• exercise-related muscle spasms.[ 4 ]

Risk factors

Cramps can be provoked by fatigue and lack of sleep, a heavy blanket during sleep. Other risk factors include poor nutrition, dehydration due to diarrhea, vomiting, prolonged exposure to cold water, increased agitation, hysterics, vaccination the day before, genetic predisposition. The mother's health during pregnancy, whether she took medications, how the pregnancy and birth proceeded also play an important role. [ 5 ]

Pathogenesis

Sudden muscle spasms occur as a result of a non-specific reaction of the nervous system to internal and external factors. Such a reaction is caused by high neuronal activity of the brain and a lack of inhibitory neurotransmitters. [ 6 ]

Symptoms Leg cramps in a child

The first signs may not be related to the twitching or muscle twitching itself. The child's anxiety, restlessness, bad mood and behavior are often the harbingers of spasms.

They often appear at night in the legs, then the baby wakes up, cries, involuntary urination occurs, and the mother can understand the reason by the tension of the calf muscles. Sometimes the arms are also involved in muscle contractions. If the legs straighten, and the arms involuntarily press to the chest, then this most likely indicates epilepsy. [ 7 ]

Cramps occur due to high body temperature or a sharp drop in temperature, they are called fibro. This is how the body reacts to a change in its condition, and the lips become blue, breathing may be interrupted.

Complications and consequences

Infrequent and short-term spasms of the limbs usually do not pose a threat to health, but are a signal to conduct an examination, because the child may fall and get a head injury that is not noticed by the parents, or his body may have a deficiency of nutrients necessary for growth and development.

It is the presence of primary causes that can cause consequences and complications; seizures that appear after 6 years are dangerous, and epilepsy is not excluded.

Diagnostics Leg cramps in a child

In diagnosing seizures, a detailed anamnesis is of great importance:

• how often do seizures occur;
• how long do they last;
• under what circumstances;
• the course of pregnancy and childbirth;
• recent illnesses, injuries;
• were there any vaccinations;
• hereditary diseases.

The examination often involves specialists such as ophthalmologists, neurologists, surgeons, neurosurgeons, etc.

Standard diagnostics include tests, including general clinical blood and urine tests and a blood sugar test. A more in-depth study may require other tests.

Convulsive activity of the brain is determined using electroencephalography. Other instrumental methods include radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography of the cerebral vessels. [ 8 ]

Differential diagnosis

Differentiation of leg cramps occurs among all the above-mentioned possible causes. It is very important to identify epilepsy at an early stage in order to timely direct efforts to the cause of its occurrence.

Treatment Leg cramps in a child

The first action should be aimed at relieving the spasm. To do this, adults need to massage the child's leg, pat it, lightly pinch the muscle, try to bend and straighten it, bend the fingers in different directions, rub with a warming ointment, and cover warmly. Treatment with medications can only be prescribed by a doctor according to indications. [ 9 ]

Drug treatment

When determining the causes of leg cramps, medications are prescribed that target a specific disease. So, if the body temperature is high, it is necessary to bring it down. For this, children are given paracetamol, panadol, efferalgan. For babies, suppositories, syrups, and chewable tablets are more suitable.

Panadol (suspension) - its action is based on the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis in the central nervous system, the active substance is paracetamol. If it is necessary to bring down the temperature of a child under 3 months, you should consult a doctor. From this age and up to 12 years, a single dose is calculated as follows: 10-15 mg per kilogram of body weight, frequency of administration - 4 times a day.

Side effects may include hypersensitivity reactions that appear on the skin, nausea, pain in the stomach, development of anemia, and liver dysfunction. The drug is contraindicated in blood diseases, liver and kidney pathologies.

Food poisoning that leads to dehydration and convulsions requires gastric lavage and taking a sorbent. In this case, activated carbon, smecta, and polysorb are effective. Probiotics will speed up the removal of toxins from the body: linex, hilak, enterol. They are used after vomiting has stopped.

Smecta is a powder in a sachet, diluted with water. For children under one year, it is recommended to mix the contents of one sachet (3 g) with 50 ml of water and distribute the volume over the day. It can be mixed into compote, porridge. From one to two years, the daily dose is 1-2 pcs., over two - 2-3 pcs. Not used in case of intestinal obstruction, hypersensitivity to the drug, can cause constipation.

For hypocalcemic seizures, calcium gluconate is prescribed - calcium ions participate in the transmission of nerve impulses, in muscle contractions. The drug is used from 3 years. A single dose for children 3-4 years old is 2 tablets, 5-6 years old - 2-3 pcs., 7-9 years old - 3-4 pcs., 10-14 years old - 4-6 pcs. The frequency of administration is 2-3 times per 24 hours. Contraindicated in hypercalcemia, increased blood clotting, sarcoidosis, severe renal failure. The drug can rarely cause disorders: nausea, pain in the epigastrium, constipation, diarrhea, bradycardia, allergic reaction.

When there is a need for treatment with anticonvulsants, sibazon, seduxen, phenobarbital, and hexenal are used.

Seduxen - calms the nervous system, relaxes muscles. At the age of 1 to 3 years, 1 mg is prescribed at a time (a total of 2 mg per day), 3-7 years - 2 mg (6 mg), over 7 - 3-5 mg (8-10 mg). The drug causes drowsiness, fatigue, in some cases paradoxical reactions - sleep disturbance, agitation. [ 10 ]

Vitamins

Since the occurrence of leg cramps in children is often associated with a violation of mineral metabolism, including calcium-phosphorus, the regulator of which is vitamin D, it is precisely on it that emphasis is placed, especially in winter with a lack of sun.

Vitamin B6 also plays an important role, its minimal content leads to muscle dystrophy. In addition, vitamins A, E, C, B1, B9, minerals magnesium [ 11 ] and potassium are necessary for the full development of the child's body.

The child's nutrition should be organized taking into account this need and, in agreement with the doctor, supplemented with vitamin and mineral complexes (Magne B6, Vion 3 kid, Vitrum kids, Pikovit).

Physiotherapy treatment

To improve blood circulation in the legs and lymphatic exchange of tissues, contrast foot baths, rubbing, massages, and acupuncture are used. Physical exercise for the legs will also have a positive effect on the muscles. For a walking child, you can offer to stand on your toes, spin a "bicycle" in the air, and other games as a game. [ 12 ]

Folk remedies

Traditional recipes use alternating cold and hot compresses. It is also believed that rubbing your feet with lemon juice twice a day will minimize muscle spasms. The same effect is attributed to bay leaf infused with unrefined sunflower oil.

Rubbing the limbs is also done with decoctions of onion peel, as well as herbs such as thyme, yarrow, chamomile, couch grass, and nettle.

Homeopaths have many remedies in their arsenal that are used for muscle cramps. They are selected taking into account the child's age, constitution, and character. The list of remedies includes: plumbum, rus toxicodendron, sepia, silicea, and sulfur.

Leg cramps that are not associated with any trauma that caused them do not require surgical intervention.

Prevention

Preventive measures to prevent convulsive phenomena in a child include:

• organizing a balanced diet with an emphasis on proteins and limiting carbohydrates;
• sufficient drinking regime;
• avoidance of strenuous physical activity;
• wearing loose shoes;
• limitation of stimulating drugs;
• short duration of watching TV and spending time at the computer.

Forecast

Leg cramps in childhood usually go away without incident, unless they are associated with epilepsy.