Essential growing pains criteria a

1. Pain in both legs (thighs and lower legs), which is intermittent, with some pain‐free days and nights

2. Pain started between the ages of 3 and 12 years

3. Pain typically occurs/occurred at the end of the day or during the night

4. There is/was no significant limitation of activity and no limping

Excluding factors

1. A pattern of pain severity, temporal characteristics, and persistence not consistent with a diagnosis of growing pains

2. Any indication of a definite orthopedic or neurological disorder specifically pain localized to joints, but pain behind the knees is not uncommon and is not an exclusion when accompanied by thigh and calf pain

3. Any abnormalities on specific testing (e.g., X‐rays and bone scans)

4. The pain in the legs is/was accompanied by strong urge to move them

Additional descriptive features of growing pains b

1. The pain is/was intermittent for at least 3 monthsc

2. There are/were periods of days weeks or months without leg pains

3. Pain is/was not a problem in the mornings

4. There is/was no associated lack of well‐being