5 Causes of Neck Pain that Often Occur in Children

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Medical Video: How to Fix a Stiff Neck in Seconds (THIS WORKS!)

Neck pain can occur in anyone, including children. Especially if your child tends to be active and often exercise, sometimes neck pain cannot be avoided. Apart from habits, what are the causes of neck pain in children and is there a safe way to overcome them? Check out the information below, let's say.

What are the causes of neck pain in children?

children watch TV and play gadgets

Quoted from Healthline, an article published by Chiropractic and Manual Therapies revealed that neck pain in children is generally caused by neck muscle tension. The pain caused can vary, depending on the cause and the severity of the injury experienced by the child.

Various causes of neck pain in children include:

1. Wrong sitting position

Neck pain in children is most often caused by a wrong sitting position for a long time. For example when playing computer or cellphone, reading books, and watching TV. If all this activity is done while sitting bent or even on his stomach, this can increase the risk of neck pain in children.

2. Position while sleeping

Seeing children sleeping may be the most beautiful sight for parents. However, have you ever noticed a child's sleeping position, correct or not, huh?

If your child suddenly complains of pain in his neck when he wakes up, this could be because the child's sleeping position is incorrect. Whether it's too bent because the pillow is too short or bent because the pillow is too high.

This wrong sleeping position can cause muscle tension to trigger pain in the neck, shoulders and back. Your child may feel pain when looking sideways or looking down at it.

3. Sports injuries

Naturally, if a child often falls while playing or exercising. Yes, this is because your child may be actively active and wants to explore many things.

But be careful, falling or a hard impact on the head can cause a sprain or strain on the child's neck. Therefore, you should keep an eye on your child while playing, sports, or any activity outside. If a child's neck injury tends to get worse and doesn't heal, immediately bring your child to the nearest doctor.

4. Swollen lymph nodes

Apart from bad habits, neck pain in children can also be caused by swollen lymph nodes. In fact, this naturally occurs as the body's response to infections such as colds, flu, or sore throat.

Although beneficial to fight infections that enter the body, swollen lymph nodes can also cause pain on one or both sides of the neck. However, children will usually complain of pain under the ear and jaw.

5. Meningitis

Not all cases of neck pain in children can be underestimated. If your child has a fever and cannot move his neck with pain, this can be a sign of meningitis.

In addition to neck pain, symptoms of meningitis in children are also accompanied by headaches, rashes, and decreased appetite. If your child has a high fever that does not go down and is followed by sudden neck pain, immediately consult the nearest pediatrician.

A powerful way to overcome neck pain in children

sleeping child

Problems with neck pain in children should be treated as soon as possible. Because if it continues to be left, the child can experience chronic neck pain and can even carry over until he is an adult.

How to deal with neck pain in children varies, depending on the cause itself. As a first aid, compress the child's neck with a cloth filled with ice cubes for 20 minutes to reduce the tension in his neck muscles.

If neck pain in children is caused by swollen lymph nodes due to flu or runny nose, then this can be overcome by taking ordinary cold medicine that can be obtained at a shop, pharmacy, or prescription from a doctor. But remember, not all cold medicines can be given to children who are under six years old. So, you should consult a doctor first to get the right flu medicine for your child.

Meanwhile, if the neck pain is caused by a wrong sitting or sleeping position, then immediately teach the child to correct it. Show how to sit up correctly by straightening his back while reading a book or watching TV, to reduce pressure on the neck.

Don't forget to give a soft and comfortable pillow for your child while sleeping. One trick is to place a thin roll of towel around the child's neck while sleeping so that the movement of his head is not too much. As a result, the child will wake up in a healthy condition without experiencing neck pain.

5 Causes of Neck Pain that Often Occur in Children
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