Headaches in children are often triggered by the same situations that stimulate headaches in adults: stress, anxiety, or minor head trauma.
Sometimes the symptoms for headaches or migraines may vary in children. For example, migraines last for less than four hours in children, whereas they tend to last for longer than 4 hours in adults.
It is a good idea to keep an eye out for migraine and headache symptoms in your children.
,1). Migraine indicators are:
– Throbbing head pain
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Abdominal pain
– Sensitivity to light or sound
2). Tension headache indicators are:
– A pressing tightness in the muscles of the head or neck
– Pain not worsened by physical activity
– Pulsing pain on both sides of the head
If a young child is suffering from a tension headache, he will tend to withdraw from regular play time and want to sleep more.
3). Cluster headache indicators are:
– Groups of 5 or more episodes
– Sharp pain on one side of the head that lasts less than 3 hours
– Excessive tears, congestion, or restlessness
It is important to seek treatment if your child:
– Loses sleep due to pain
– Recently received a head injury and is in pain
– Is persistently vomiting or has difficulty with vision
– Headache is accompanied by fever or neck pain
Migraines in children are actually quite common. They can be disabling, especially for children in school.
Help your child return to a vibrant, healthy life by looking out for these symptoms and seeking treatment.
