Foot Cramps in Children

One-third of all children experience foot and calf muscle cramps at some point, according to Children's Hospital of Illinois. Most of the time, this is a benign condition, although one that causes great discomfort. If your child has a sore throat, fever, abdominal pain, joint swelling, loss of strength and weight loss along with foot cramping, and this occurs on a recurrent basis, she needs to see a doctor, according to pediatrician Flavia Marino of the New York University Medical Center.

• Foot cramp

Who Are the Victims?

• Foot and leg cramps are apt to strike children who are physically active, though sedentary kids can suffer from cramps as well. If a child who is not particularly active forces himself to keep up with the other children in gym class, he may overuse his muscles, which aren't acclimated to physical strain, according to George H. Durham II, a pediatrician at the Bryner Clinic in Salt Lake City. Cramping may result.

Types

• True cramps, the most common type of skeletal muscle cramp, are the result of hyperexcitability of the nerves that stimulate the muscles, according to Medicinenet.com. Your child may experience this type of cramp after she has sustained an injury to a muscle. Vigorous activity can cause a true cramp and it may occur during the activity or later. Dehydration, low calcium, magnesium and potassium levels can cause true cramps as can sleeping or resting. When a cramp occurs because of mineral deficiencies, this is called a tetany cramp. All the nerve cells in your body can be activated and this stimulates the muscles and results in cramps and spasms.

Other Possibilities

• Contracture cramps result when your child's muscles can't relax and spasms occur, which is the outcome of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion. ATP is an energy chemical that is contained in cells. The muscle fibers are unable to relax when ATP is not adequate and this creates a spasm.

Prevention/Solution

• If your child is experiencing foot cramps, take preventive measures to try to reduce the incidence. Kids can get heat cramps when they exercise in extreme heat. Remind your child to drink a lot of fluids while exercising, which will help keep him hydrated and prevent cramps from occurring. When these cramps do strike, they are painful and will awaken your child when they occur during the night. When a cramp occurs, give your child something to drink and encourage her to stretch out the muscle. Apply an ice pack to the site for 20 minutes, advises Dr. Brian Halpern, clinical instructor of sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Some children prefer an application of heat. Massaging the cramping foot will also help. Massage the cramped muscle in the direction the muscle runs.

Additional Considerations

• Dr. Williams Sears of Parenting.com notes that a child who has flat feet and pronation will be more prone to foot cramping. Pronation occurs when the feet turn inward. When a child has this condition it overstresses the bones and muscles in the feet and lower leg. Have your child's feet examined. An arch support may be the answer. Make sure your child has a well-balanced diet. If a child has an omega-3 deficiency, this can cause joint pain and cramping.