Child Headache Migraine - so Small to Feel Such Pain

When a child has problems with migraine headache, they tend to look very sick when they are having and while recovering. They will avoid bright lights and loud noises. They also may complain of seeing “light” or “fuzziness”. This is called an “aura” and often comes along with a migraine. Nausea accompanies migraines many times and doesn’t usually let up until the child vomits and is able to sleep. They may feel dizzy and off balance. A good, heavy sleep is usually necessary for the migraine to ease away.

When the child is brought to the doctor, the first tests done will be to make sure there is not an underlying physical condition causing the migraines. Treatments for migraines include finding and eliminating “triggers” (the cause, if known) and taking some medication the doctor will prescribe. These are preventives and pain relievers.

Migraines come and go intermittently. A child may have several within a few days’ time or go for weeks without having a migraine. They are supposed to be harmless as there are no studies showing they have long term impact on health. But the fact of the matter is they are so painful that leaving them undiagnosed and treated really isn’t an option when you don’t want to see your child suffer. They can be debilitating in that it is impossible to participate in any activities during an episode. This affects thinking processes as well.

Five to ten percent of children get migraines and continue to have them throughout their teen years and into adulthood. Some people are lucky enough to experience a remission of the problem. This is when they go away without any definitive reason.

A child aged 2 and up that has a migraine will hold their stomach and look for a place to hide where there are no noises and lights. They will probably vomit. When they fall asleep, they sleep very deeply and are much better on waking. Children experience more symptoms than most adults. Their symptoms also include sweating, swelling, thirst, tearing, dark circles under the eyes, diarrhea and an excessive amount of urinating.

Early intervention is key to helping a child with migraine cope with the problem. With the right medications and attention to allergies, there is no reason a child should experience more than a few milder attacks.