Why children's joints crackle, not everyone knows. Parents should definitely pay attention to such a symptom and not ignore it.
The main reason is considered to be insufficient formation of the musculoskeletal system, as well as rapid growth. In many children, the joints hurt and click for a certain period, but as they grow older, the problem disappears. If it persists, then you need to contact a specialist.
Reasons
There are many causes of cracking joints in children, and they differ depending on age.
They can be associated not only with diseases, but also depend on the activity of the child. Consider the problem according to age.
In infants
The most common reasons why a baby's joints crackle are as follows:
- Age-related changes. Joints can crackle in children under 1 year old. This is considered the norm. The problem is related to the fact that the muscle and connective tissues are still developing, which is why the joints in a child up to a year crunch. When the baby begins to walk independently, suchsymptom disappears.
- Genetic predisposition. From parents, insufficient development of bones, ligaments, articular joints can be inherited. Why a one-year-old child has crunchy joints is understandable in this case.
- Inflammation in the joint. Particularly arthritis. Usually the knee is affected. In this case, the child behaves restlessly, often crying.
- Hip Dysplasia. The asymmetry of the inguinal folds in the baby will be noticeable. Legs vary in length. There are problems when breeding them to the sides.
To avoid complications, treatment should be started as early as possible.
Children under 7
At this age, the crunch of the joints in a child most often indicates the development of pathological processes.
Reasons for cracking joints in a child aged 7 and younger may be:
- Intensive growth. According to doctors, in this case, the crunch is the norm. The musculoskeletal system develops rapidly, but the synovial fluid is not yet produced in sufficient quantities. This is what causes the clicks.
- Lack of vitamins and minerals. They are required by the child's body during intensive growth. The main one is calcium. It is its deficiency that causes the crunch.
- Lack of fluid. If there is a lack of water in the body, then a sufficient amount of intra-articular fluid is not produced. As a result, the fabrics become not as flexible, which causes a crunch.
- Excessive exercise. The child needs to increaseload gradually, in accordance with his age and capabilities.
- Injuries. They can lead to pathological changes in the joints.
Different diseases can also be causes, but in this case, additional symptoms will appear: redness, swelling, fever, limited mobility.
Adolescents
Common reasons why children have crunchy joints and bones are:
- Hormonal failures. In adolescents, the body undergoes restructuring. This affects all systems, including the musculoskeletal system.
- Hypermobility of articular joints. If a child's joints are too flexible from birth, and the ligaments are weakened, then a crunch will be heard often.
- Physical activity. In particular, this refers to their incorrect distribution.
- Overweight. Because of it, the load on the musculoskeletal system increases, in particular, on the connecting elements.
- Flat feet. Increased pressure on the leg.
- Injuries. This applies to fractures, dislocations and other things.
In addition, inflammation can be the cause, which is why the joints of a 10-year-old child crunch. Because of this, not only a crunch appears, but also pain, restriction of movements.
Symptoms
If a child has a crunch in the joints, you need to pay attention to such warning signs:
- crunch of one or more joints systematically for a long time, if you bend or unbend the limb;
- difficult to spread limbs;
- skin foldsasymmetrical;
- one limb becomes longer than the other;
- redness and swelling can be seen in the joint area;
- the child is naughty, cries, complains of pain.
In such cases, you need to go to the hospital.
Diagnosis
If the child's crunch does not go away with time or there are additional signs, then you need to see a doctor. He studies the symptoms, anamnesis. The doctor will check the joints of the shoulders, pelvis and hips, knees, elbows and others.
To determine the symptoms of slipping in a child, they put it on the table. The joints of the knees and pelvis are bent. The hips are gently pulled apart. If there are no problems, they will touch the table. If there is a dislocation, then the head of the joint slips into the cavity.
It is recommended to take a general blood and urine test, which can be used to detect inflammatory processes in the body. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe a biochemical blood test in the future. Additionally, ultrasound is required to determine dysplasia and study the amount of synovial fluid. Children sometimes have an ultrasound of the heart to check the functioning of the valves.
Treatment methods
Treatment depends on the reasons why a small child's joints crackle. The basic principles of therapy are as follows:
- With a lack of synovial fluid, special treatment is not prescribed. You just need to monitor the drinking regimen of the child. He should drink as much liquid as possible.
- In infectious diseases, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
- For arthritis, non-steroidal analgesics, glucocorticosteroids and drugs to improve muscle tone are prescribed.
- With hip dysplasia, it is recommended to take vitamin-mineral complexes. You can correct the position of the articular joint by tight swaddling or special fixing corsets. Physiotherapy is prescribed to stimulate tissues.
- In case of hypermobility of the joint (weakened connective tissue), firming massage and special therapeutic exercises are prescribed. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe medications that will improve muscle tone.
Heavy physical activity is contraindicated. When remission occurs, it is recommended to do therapeutic exercises.
Folk remedies
As an addition to the main therapy, folk remedies are suitable:
- Burdock. 100 g of dry roots of this plant pour 1 liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. Cool and strain. Give the child every time he wants to drink.
- Spruce cones. 5 pieces pour 1 liter of boiling water. Insist 12 hours. Give your child 5 large sips every day.
- Bay leaf. 20 pieces pour 500 ml of boiling water. Insist 3 hours. Drink everything within 3 days. In a week, repeat the course.
- Linden. 2 tbsp. l. dried and powdered inflorescences pour 500 ml of water. Boil 15 minutes. Cool and strain. Give your child a third of a cup 3 times a day.
- Willow bark. Take 1 tbsp. l. raw materials per cup of boiling water. Boil 5 minutes. Cool down andstrain. Give your child 0.5 cups a day.
- Gelatin. 2 tsp powder pour 100 ml of cool drinking water. Insist all night. In the morning, boil and mash the lumps. Add warm water to make 200 ml. Drink on an empty stomach in the morning before meals. It is allowed to add honey or freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice to the product. Do not use instant gelatin.
- Sunflower. 100 g of crushed sunflower baskets pour 500 ml of vodka. Cut up baby soap and add. Insist 10 days in a dark place. At the end, strain and apply with massage movements on sore joints. Then wrap them up.
- Baths with sea s alt and baking soda. It is necessary to dissolve such components in hot water. Sit in the bathroom for 15 minutes, massaging the sore limbs.
- Black radish and honey. Squeeze the juice from the root and mix with an equal amount of honey. Rub the joints with this remedy once a day. Then cover with foil and insulate.
- Rosehip. Take 50 g of inflorescences per 300 ml of boiling water. Insist half an hour. Add 100 ml of honey. 1 - 2 times a day, spread the joints with this remedy for 3 weeks.
Before using such products, you need to make sure that the child is not allergic to them. The duration of such therapy must be agreed with the attending physician.
Prevention
To avoid joint problems in a child, it is necessary to carry out prevention. First, follow a special diet.
Vitamins, minerals and other useful things are important for a child's bodysubstances that he receives from food. Broccoli, cottage cheese, bananas, raisins, dried apricots are useful for children of any age. They have a lot of calcium. But for it to be well absorbed, you need to walk every day for at least half an hour in direct sunlight.
Pasta and flour products will have to be limited. Seafood and fish are very useful due to the high content of vitamin D. Calcium is also present in dairy and sour-milk products. Phosphorus is abundant in peaches, liver and fish.
All of these foods are great for a growing baby, but you need to make sure you're not allergic to them.
Secondly, you need to remember that it is water that is the main component of synovial fluid. You can not limit the child in drinking. The body will regulate the water balance on its own.
Thirdly, physical activity is useful, but it should be moderate. It is impossible to allow overloads of the musculoskeletal system. Every day you need to walk in the fresh air.
Biking, swimming, gymnastics, etc. will benefit, but all exercises must be done carefully so as not to provoke injuries. Teenagers especially need to be careful, as the body grows rapidly, and the skeleton does not have time to adapt to this.
Conclusion
If a child's joints crackle, this is not a cause for concern. But it's best to see a doctor, especially if other worrisome symptoms are present.
After the diagnosis withIf necessary, the doctor will prescribe appropriate therapy, which includes not only medicines, but also physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises. Folk remedies will also benefit.
Parents should not ignore the child's complaints of unpleasant symptoms, attributing everything to fatigue from excessive mobility. Timely contacting the clinic will prevent the occurrence of complications or exclude the presence of pathology.
