A message from our founder
Dr Charlotte Hawkins (PhD) MSc FRSM, Founder, The Hawkins Institute
As a clinician and researcher, I have spent over four decades listening to children talk about the aches and leg pains so often dismissed as “growing pains.” Across the years in both central London and East Africa, I came to understand something too often overlooked, that these symptoms are not always benign, and certainly not always understood.
The Hawkins Institute was founded to shine a clinical and research-led light on to what is termed growing pains. We are committed to improving the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of pain in growing children’s lower limbs. We believe that by gathering better data, listening carefully to families, and pursuing the science with rigour and compassion, we can help children move more freely, sleep more soundly, and grow with confidence.
Our mission is simple: to investigate the notional pain behind growth, and to offer meaningful, evidence-based guidance to families, schools, and medical professionals. Whether a child is missing PE because their legs ache or struggling with persistent pain at night that has no clear name, our work is here to ensure they are no longer left behind.
Thank you for joining us on this journey — one that, we hope, will change the way we listen to children and care for their growth and development.
Together, we can make growing pains a thing of the past.
Dr Charlotte Hawkins (PhD) MSc FRSM
Specialist in Paediatric Lower Limb Development Founder, Beyond Growing Pains Campaign
Our Mission
The Institute exists to advance the understanding and treatment of childhood limb pain through five core aims:
Evidence Based Understanding
Building a clearer picture of childhood pain through rigorous, research led data and analysis.
Challenging Outdated Thinking
Moving beyond the term “growing pains” to improve how symptoms are recognised and understood.
Earlier Diagnosis
Helping children receive the right assessment sooner, reducing the risk of prolonged or overlooked pain.
Better Treatment Pathways
Using real data and clinical insight to inform more effective and practical approaches to care.
Improved Outcomes Worldwide
Raising awareness and educating families and professionals to support children on a global scale.
What We Do
Research
Conducting the UK's largest study into childhood limb pain, gathering real-world data from parents, adults, and healthcare professionals to build an evidence base that has never existed before.
Education
Raising awareness among parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals about the significance of childhood limb pain and the importance of early assessment and intervention.
Clinical Insight
Drawing on over 25 years of specialist clinical practice, combining frontline experience with academic rigour to inform treatment and diagnostic pathways.
The Hawkins Institute for Growing Pain Research and Treatment was founded with a single, clear purpose: to change the way childhood limb pain is understood, investigated, and treated. For too long, “growing pains” has been accepted as a sufficient explanation for recurring pain in children. We believe this label falls short — and that children and families deserve better.
