BackgroundBackgroundEvidence update
Recurrent Back Pain in a Child: More Than a Missed X-Ray
ACEP Now12 Aug 2026Trauma
Clinical takeaway
Treat persistent night pain, systemic features, neurologic findings, or repeated presentations as red flags requiring reassessment and appropriate advanced imaging or referral.
EDCritix summary
A missed Ewing sarcoma case illustrates why recurrent, atraumatic, or nocturnal back pain in a child deserves diagnostic escalation even after initially reassuring imaging.