They generally strike during two periods: in early childhood among 3- to 5-year-olds and, later, in 8- to 12-year-olds.Bone growth hasn't been proved to cause pain. So "growing" pains might just be aches and discomfort from the jumping, climbing, and running that active kids do during the day. The pains can happen after a child has had a particularly athletic day.One symptom that doctors find most helpful in making a diagnosis of growing pains is how a child responds to touch while in pain. Kids who have pain from a serious medical cause don't like to be handled because movement can make the pain worse. But those with growing pains respond differently — they feel better when they're held, massaged, and cuddled.