Most people, at one point or another have experienced migraines. Symptoms that adults experience are the same in children. This would normally include a moderate to severe headache, feeling nauseous and eventually vomiting to light and sound sensitivity.
Although the underlying mechanisms of children having migraines are unclear, it is known that genetics play an important role. Thankfully, about half of children that have experienced having migraines stopped having symptoms once they hit puberty.
Let’s discuss symptoms, causes and treatments of migraines for children:
About 3-10% of children get migraines, while half of them stop having these episodes once they hit puberty. Alternately, if their migraine symptoms only show up during adolescence, then that person will most likely continue with this into adulthood.
Before reaching puberty, migraines can affect both males and females, whereas after puberty, females have a higher risk of experiencing it.
Children’s migraine symptoms are the same as adults and these normally include:
1] Headache that lasts for days
2] The headache is only on one side of the head
3] The headache gets worse with physical activity
4] Sensitive to bright lights and sounds
5] Vomiting and nausea
The United Kingdom’s National Migraine Centre says that children more often than not experience pain in different locations, or even across the entire head, as compared to with adults. Children’s headaches can also be shorter.
It’s more difficult to assess migraines in young children if they are unable to describe their symptoms. Another challenge would be the level of pain they are feeling as parents or caregivers will not have anything to compare it with. Because of this, doctors cannot diagnose children under two years of age.
What gives children migraines?
Researchers have not discovered the reason of why only some children experience migraines and others do not. However, there are a lot of children with family members that suffer from the same condition, so this could be hereditary.
People suffering from migraines have also said that there are certain situations, environmental factors such as the weather and even food that trigger their episodes. Identifying what triggers you suffer can prevent it from happening again. Yes, figuring out these triggers do take time, but it is worth knowing that triggers often overlap which contributes to the development of a migraine episode.
Keeping a record of a child’s migraine symptoms and its possible causes can be very helpful for prevention.
Common triggers can be the following:
1] Change in sleep patterns: A child can get an episode when their sleeping schedules are erratic. Establishing a regular sleep schedule helps.
2] Dehydration: Keeping your child hydrated especially after physical activity can help reduce symptoms.
3] Food: Specific foods can also be a trigger. Take note of what your child has eaten when getting migraine episodes.
4] Stress: If your child frequently gets stressed and anxious, this overstimulation can lead to a migraine. Let them have some quiet time in a calm space to relax.
5] Environmental triggers: These triggers include extreme weather changes, secondhand smoke, and bright lights which include TV and computer screens.
Not all triggers can be avoided, but avoiding them when possible will definitely help lessen the migraine episodes.
Home care and medication
In addition to giving over the counter medication right for children such as Tylenol, Advil or Naproxen, aiding them to prevent further triggers can help manage their symptoms.
When going through a migraine episode, try these following solutions:
1] Having the child relax in a dark and quiet room.
2] Applying warm compress on their head.
3] Giving them an eye mask in case they are experiencing a sensitivity to light.
4] Massaging any tense muscles.
5] Having the child take a nap to alleviate their symptoms.
6] Keep a symptom diary and take note of the following details: time, date, length and severity of migraine, triggers that occurred and strategies that helped.
Giving emotional support
Because of the difficulty in assessing a child’s migraine symptoms, depending on how old they are – they might not understand what is happening or be stressed even further by it. When a child is going through an episode, as the parent or caregiver, it is very important to be reassuring and calm. After, it will help a lot to teach the child about migraines and what happens during, or take them to a doctor who can explain it better.
Understanding what they have gone through will help them get over some fears they may have. It will also help them manage the condition better.
When do you need to seek professional help?
There are migraine symptoms that pose more serious health issues. When these occur, seeking medical care as soon as possible.
1] Severe headache with no other migraine symptoms.
2] A very painful headache that has never been experienced before.
3] A headache after having a head injury.
4] A stiff neck.
5] Feeling confused and disoriented.
6] A seizure.
7] Loss of consciousness.
8] Change in vision and coordination.
9] Excessive vomiting.
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