Although headaches are usually considered an adult problem, some 20 percent of all 5-17 year-olds experience headaches on a regular basis. Migraine headaches seem even less likely in children, but they do occur. In fact, more than 8 million children get migraines each year. Migraines may go unnoticed or be misdiagnosed in young children because they don’t know how to describe the pain.
A migraine differs from a normal headache in that it’s caused by blood vessels narrowing and expanding. Head pain, often throbbing pain, is the result, sometimes accompanied by other symptoms such as balance or vision difficulties. Migraine attacks in children are generally shorter in children than adults, and the children don’t experience any symptoms in between attacks.
Migraine headaches are not considered a serious illness because the attacks don’t seem to have any lasting health consequences. But migraines can take a toll on a child’s quality of life. The attacks are often so painful that the victim cannot function during or after an attack, and the attack can strike at any time.
In most cases, a child who experiences migraines has inherited the tendency from his parents. Studies have shown that most boys who get migraines will outgrow them. Girls, unfortunately, may experience increased frequency as they enter puberty, due to hormonal changes.
Here’s what to look for when you suspect that your child has a migraine. Note that he may have any variation of these symptoms:
-pain on both sides of the head (for young children)
-pain on one side of the head (for older children)
-unexplained dizziness
-abdominal pain
-increased eye tearing
-vomiting
-vision disturbances
For many children who have migraines, identifying a trigger can be the key to avoiding future attacks. Sometimes a certain activity or food or allergen can trigger an attack. The most common triggers are alcohol, chocolate, cheese, nuts, shellfish, monosodium glutamate (msg), sugar, and caffeine. Many physicians recommend maintaining a healthy bedtime schedule, eating nutritious meals, and reducing anxiety and stress. Even children can experience anxiety and stress enough to provoke a migraine headache. Sometimes, once a child has had migraine attack, the mere anxiety of having another attack can prompt one.
There are four phases to a migraine headache:
1. Premonitory phase. This phase begins up to 24 hours before the attack. During this phase, the child may experience joy/sadness, irritability, increase or decrease in appetite, withdrawal or talkativeness, sleep disturbances, and water retention. The child may not be able to explain these changes but may feel that something is different.
2. Aura. Only 10 to 20% of children with migraines experience this phase. It usually occurs 30 minutes before or right as the headache begins. Variations of aura include blurred vision, zigzag lines or other disturbances in the field of vision, black polka dots, sparks or flashes of light, seeing things as bigger or smaller than they are, an altered sense of the passage of time, attention loss, confusion, forgetfulness, vertigo, impaired speech, and inability to coordinate muscle activity.
3. Headache. In children, the headache phase can last from 30 minutes to 2 days, but it usually lasts around 4 hours. The headache may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, chills, diarrhea, constipation, and memory loss.
4. Postdrome. After the headache is over, the child may feel energized and elated, but usually he’ll feel exhausted and weak. This may last a couple of days.
Luckily, one of the best remedies for a migraine attack is very simple and cost-effective: sleep. Sleep nearly always restores a migraine sufferer back to a healthy, pain-free state. Try to get your child to sleep as soon as he notices symptoms. Acetomenaphin (Tylenol) may help. If it doesn’t, your physician may prescribe something stronger to take away the pain.
Above all, be assuring and supportive to your child. Your confidence will help your child to feel less anxiety and fear about his migraines. Although your physician may not be able to identify a cause, you can learn to pay attention to the signs of your child’s headaches and make them as low-impact as possible.
