i had really bad growing pains in my legs when i was little. they would wake me up at night. i would cry and cry with them. my mom always gave me childrens bayer chewable asprin and gave me a really warm bath. as i got older i used a heating pad. im 34 now and believe it or not, i still get them. 2 of my 4 kids also have them. i give them motrin. one of them wakes up in the middle of the night and the other doesnt. it started with my ds at 4 and my dd at 2 1/2.
you know your child better than anyone else. and shes the only one who knows for sure whether or not she lying. but, these pains are normally only at night.(from all the running and playing they have done during the day). or early evening. give her a spoonful of sprite(w/a touch a red food coloring or just plain) and see if they go away) if they dont, then try the motrin.
if it were me, id try a placebo first, just to get a reaction. that way id know if it was for the attention or not. however you go about it, keep me informed. im curious.