July 11, 2002
Aches and Pains
Question from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA:
My son’s blood sugars are out of control, and we are working with our diabetes team to bring them under control. However, my son is 14 years old and fighting us all the way. He frequently wakes up screaming in the middle of the night in pain. What causes nighttime leg cramps in children with diabetes? I’m looking for an explanation of why this happens so that I can explain to him how this can be avoided.
Answer:
In my experience, such symptoms are not limited to diabetes and are common in growing children — hence the usual term ‘growing pains’. These appear to be real but I don’t know their cause. There are a few other rare causes sometimes associated with changes in the blood salts (e.g., potassium). Don’t forget to mention this to his diabetes team because he should be examined in case further tests are necessary.
KJR
