You may be surprised
to read that ten per cent of children get migraines
and this percentage rises amongst teenagers. Migraines
in children begin earlier in boys than girls although
they are usually affected equally but after puberty,
migraines are much more frequent in girls.
Very young children and migraines
At least 20% of those children who are going to have
migraines
suffer from their first attack before they are five
but they don’t always tell you that they have
a headache. Very young children experiencing a migraine
attack usually look pale and ill and have abdominal
pain, vomiting and a strong need to sleep. They may
show their pain and discomfort by irritability, crying,
rocking or seeking a dark room in which to sleep.
If they vomit, this very often clears the condition
and they can sleep it off. Migraines in young children
often happen without headaches. They may have repeated
bouts of stomach pain only or they may have photophobia
(sensitivity to light) and phonophobia (sensitivity
to sound) without either stomach or headache.
School age children and migraines
Children aged 5 to 10 can experience headache, nausea,
abdominal cramping, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia,
osmophobia (sensitivity to smells) and a need to sleep.
They usually fall asleep with an hour of the time
the attack starts and of course this is the best thing
to do.
Other symptoms
of migraines in children are:
o Paleness with dark circles under the eyes
o Tearfulness
o Swollen nasal passages
o Thirst
o Swelling
o Excessive sweating
o Increased urination and
o Diarrhea.
As children grow older, headaches can intensify and
continue for longer periods. The migraines can occur
at more regular intervals. The children often describe
the migraines as throbbing
headaches. They often move to one side of the
head in the same way that adults suffer from migraines.
In some cases, there are no headaches but repeated
bouts of stomach aches
Causes and triggers of migraines in children
An inherited tendency is believed to make some children
more likely to have a migraine after some trigger
but the exact cause or causes of migraine headaches
are unknown. They may be due to a temporary deficiency
of the brain chemical serotonin and many of the drugs
used to treat
migraines actually target this chemical. Many
of those who suffer from migraines are able to pin
point their migraine starting because of something
they have eaten, drunk or done. And such triggers
in children can be chocolate, cheese, nuts, shellfish,
sugar and caffeine. It is possible that migraines
have several migraine
trigger factors and many internal causes. We do
not know for sure.
Treatment of migraines in children
If you suspect that your young child is suffering
from migraines, you should take him or her for a thorough
examination by your doctor. Try to write down beforehand
all the symptoms that you have noticed or of which
you child has complained so that your doctor has a
complete picture. He will need to know about your
child’s medical history, any previous tests,
any allergies and any previous or current medications.
With your help he will be able to come to a conclusion
as there is no specific diagnostic test for migraine
headaches. He will advise on the best kind of treatment
for your child.
When your child has recurring headaches, it may be
a symptom of a relatively harmless condition or it
may be a symptom of a more serious and even life-threatening
condition. This is why it important to take your child
to the doctor.
Approximately 65 to 80 percent of children with migraines
miss out on school and other activities because of
their symptoms. They can become very anxious because
of this. The correct diagnosis and treatment of their
migraine and its symptoms can greatly improve their
quality of life.
Go
to our Migraine and Headache Treatment page
