Living with Children with Growing Pains: How Does It Affect the Parents?

Abstract

Objective: To assess quality of life [QOL] and psychological status of parents of children with growing pains.

Methods: Thirty-three mothers and 28 fathers of 37 children with growing pains and 20 mothers and 19 fathers of 21 matched healthy normal control [HNC] children completed the Flanagan QOL Scale questionnaire and two validated anxiety and depression questionnaires. An analysis of variance and a student's t-test were used to compare the groups.

Results: The QOL and anxiety scores were similar in both groups. Depression levels were significantly higher among mothers of children with growing pains.

Conclusions: Quality of life does not appear to be affected. However, maternal depression was mildly increased.

KEYWORDS:

• Growing pain
• children
• quality of life
• anxiety
• depression