But she says you should alert your child's physician if the pain is very severe, is recurrent or is accompanied by fever, sore throat , a rash, abdominal pain, joint swelling, weight loss or a loss of strength in the muscle. Muscle aches can afflict kids any time of the day or night. You can't prevent all muscle aches and cramps, but by following these steps you can help your child feel more comfortable. Be sure to wrap the ice-pack in a towel so it won't freeze the skin. Beat the heat with liquids.
Heat cramps are preventable, doctors say.
Your child can avoid cramping by drinking plenty of liquids during exercise, especially in the hot weather,'' says Dr. Halpern. Plan to build fitness gradually. That can put a lot of pressure on the child who is overweight or not as athletic as the others. Exercising that way is less intimidating to him, and less stressful to the muscles,'' Dr. Durham says. After a tough workout, coddle the muscles.