Children can suffer from stress-related and illness-related headaches as well as migraines and chronic headaches. Although most headaches in children are harmless and resolve on their own within a few days, if your child’s headache worsens, is accompanied by other symptoms or occurs frequently, consult your pediatrician to rule out a serious illnesses or condition.
Symptoms
Your child’s headache might range from the dull, constant ache of a tension or infection-related headache to the vise-like pain of a migraine. With a tension headache, your child may complain of pain on both sides of his head, while a migraine can cause nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. A child with an infection might exhibit a headache, body aches, fever, coughing or pain. Children with headaches often withdraw from activity and may cry. Headaches can last several minutes to several days.
Causes
Some of the most common causes of headaches in children include dehydration and infections, such as a cold, flu or ear infection. Headaches also can occur with head trauma, stress, inherited conditions and brain conditions, such as a tumor or bleeding. If your child takes pain medication regularly, she might be suffering from a rebound headache.
Treatment
Although most headaches can be treated at home with over-the-counter pain medication, seek immediate medical attention if your child has a headache after a blow to the head, a fever with a stiff neck, persistent vomiting or changes in vision. Encourage your child to rest in a dark room and drink plenty of fluids to help reduce the severity of a headache. Gradually reduce the amount of pain medication your child is taking to prevent a rebound headache. Your doctor may prescribe medication for migraines, especially if they tend to run in the family or recur. If your child has an infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Prevention
Prevent dehydration-related headaches by encouraging your child to drink plenty of water or other fluids during the day. Help your child reduce stress by developing coping skills, such as deep-breathing, communication and time management. If headaches occur often, considering keeping a headache log or diary to help you understand what may be triggering the pain. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that chiropractic adjustments may be helpful in preventing migraines, but more research is necessary to confirm their effectiveness.
Warning
Because aspirin has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, a potentially life-threatening illness, MayoClinic.com recommends giving children and teenagers acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve pain.
