Neuropathy in Children: 5 Warning Signs Parents Should Know

Your child is complaining of symptoms you don’t understand. They may tell you that their hands, feet, arms, or legs feel like they’re burning. Perhaps they often feel dizzy, but they’re not sick. These symptoms warrant evaluation by a specialist. 

Pediatric neurologist Dr. Charles Niesen and our team at AMS Neurology in Pasadena, California, treat neuropathy in children. While generally a rare condition, pediatric neuropathy is somewhat more common in children with specific health conditions. 

What is peripheral neuropathy? 

If your child is diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, they have damage to nerves that lead to their extremities — arms, legs, hands, fingers, or toes. 

5 warning signs of neuropathy in children 

The following are five symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in children. 

Burning pain in extremities

Does your child tell you they feel as if their skin is on fire? Perhaps it’s their hand, arm, or leg. You know the feeling isn’t normal. This isn’t a sore throat or other common childhood illness. 

Burning pain may indicate nerve involvement, but it requires evaluation because other conditions can mimic neuropathic pain.

Extreme skin sensitivity

Does your child throw off the sheets or blankets because anything touching their legs causes pain? Maybe they recoil when you try to hug them because it hurts. Extreme sensitivity to touch can be a sign of nerve dysfunction. 

Numbness in extremities 

Does your child tell you their hand or foot feels numb? You want to investigate the root cause of this issue right away. 

Muscle problems: weakness, cramps, or twitching 

You may notice that your child often stumbles, trips, or loses their balance. Perhaps at first you chalked it up to childhood clumsiness, but what if there’s more to it? Perhaps they have frequent muscle cramps and want you to rub their legs or massage their hands. 

Body regulation difficulties

Does your child have dizzy episodes when moving from sitting to standing? Perhaps they seem to sweat through their clothes even if they haven’t been running around. These symptoms may suggest autonomic nervous system involvement.

Reasons for childhood neuropathy 

You want to know why your child has unexplained symptoms that can affect their motor skills, sensory and autonomic systems, and social life. In children with diabetes — especially long‑standing or poorly controlled — neuropathy risk can increase. Other autoimmune conditions also raise their risk. 

If your child has had chemotherapy or radiation for cancer, they may develop neuropathy. Genetic factors play a role in neuropathy in children diagnosed with Charcot‑Marie‑Tooth disease.

Diagnosing and treating pediatric neuropathy

Dr. Niesen performs a thorough analysis of your child’s health, including physical tests, family history, and nerve conduction studies. You or your child, depending on their age, complete a screening tool. Other tests may be included depending on your child’s symptoms. 

Dr. Niesen develops a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan for your child depending on their symptoms. He may prescribe pain relievers and other types of medication to reduce neuropathic pain, physical and/or occupational therapy, and lifestyle modifications. 

Dr. Niesen may also recommend electrical nerve stimulation, massage, or acupuncture to help ease your child’s pain. These may be considered as supportive therapies, though evidence in children varies.

If your child suffers from unexplained neurological symptoms, call AMS Neurology or book an appointment online today.