Muscular and skeletal pain

Causes of muscular and skeletal pain

If a child has joint or skeletal pain, it is often due to an injury or overuse. However, joint or skeletal pain can also be caused by a bacterial infection. A bacterial infection in the joint can be a serious condition because within a matter of days, the bacteria can cause serious damage to the cartilage.

There are two ways in which bacteria can infect a joint:

• Bacteria can be spread, through the blood, to the joint from a bacterial infection located in another part of the body (like an ear infection, urinary tract infection or pneumonia). 
• Infections can also occur after an injury if bacteria is able to enter the joint directly. 

Bacteria can also cause an infection in the bone. For instance, osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection of the long tubular bones that is commonly caused by the staphylococcus bacteria. Like joint infections, bone infections can be the result of a direct injury, or as a result of bacteria spreading through the bloodstream from another infection.

Other symptoms

With a bone or joint infection, your child will often feel the pain in the infected area, leading him to avoid moving the painful body part.

An infected joint will often swell and become hot and tender, and your child will likely have a fever as well.

However, younger children will often have less pronounced symptoms, like limping.

When to seek medical advice

See the doctor immediately or call 911 if:

• Your child has pain in the muscule or joint and has a fever and looks weak and is less active than normal. He could have a bacterial infection that is rapidly damaging the cartilage in his joint. If your child does have this type of infection, he needs to be treated with intravenous antibiotics in a hospital. 
• Your child doesn't want to put weight on his leg or to use his arm after an injury. 
• Your child has a swollen joint and a fever. 

Make an appointment with your doctor if:

• Your child has joint or muscle pain that has not improved after 24 hours. 
• Your child, who has previously been able to move freely, begins to limp, refuses to stand on or avoids putting weight on his leg for more than 24 hours.
• Your child has a swollen joint and the swelling does not go down within a few days.