For adults, migraines are truly debilitating – literally mind-numbing pain which worsens with light, noise and movement. It is bad enough to miss work for a day or two. Migraines are not limited to adults – children also experience these recurrent headache patterns. To children, however, they are more incapacitating because of their lower tolerance and threshold to pain.
What differentiates a headache from migraines?
Children may have one work to express the discomfort they are feeling – headache. However, parents must be taught how to recognize when it is a normal headache caused by, say, eating too much sugar, and when it’s a migraine headache that needs medical attention.
Unlike normal headaches, migraines come with an aura. This can be described as “seeing stars” or “glaring lights” just before the onset of a migraine headache. Auras could also be a sudden change in taste, smell, hearing and sensation. The pain of a migraine may occur around the eyes, on the forehead, or in the temples, rather than the head itself. Also, migraines are so severe, that it is usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting, and abdominal pain. They are aggravated by motion, bright lights, and noises. Finally, migraines are relieved by sleep.
Headaches that cause children to awaken, or become apparent in the morning, are not migraines, but rather headaches which could be indicative of a brain tumor, or other underlying conditions.
How do I know my child has migraines?
A child may have chronic migraines is he or she experiences more than five severe headaches accompanied by three or more of these other symptoms: nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, throbbing and localized headache, and the presence of an aura.
What causes childhood migraines?
There are no definite and proven causes of migraines, either in adults or in children. However, it is believed to be genetic. Children with migraines may have inherited blood vessel hyper-sensitivity to certain chemical signals that cause vessel constriction and dilation. The sudden pressure changes in the vessels are believed to cause the pain. A family history of migraines makes a child more susceptible to developing them.
How is childhood migraine diagnosed?
Doctors assess the pediatric patient to determine whether it is simply a severe headache or a true migraine headache. It is important to assess the patient is crucial because migraines may be related to serious underlying conditions.
Doctors work into finding the specific triggers of the childhood migraines so that they can prescribe the best treatment. These triggers can vary from child to child.
What relief measures can parents offer children who have migraines?
The best way to control migraines is to actually prevent the child from exposure to triggers. The trick is to recognize your child’s triggers. Triggers may include smoke, pollution, strong perfume, certain foods, especially those with high nitrate and MSG content. Caffeine and salt should also be avoided to avoid hyper-stimulation of the nerves in the brain. Extreme temperatures, motion sickness, sleep deprivation and missed meals can also trigger migraines.
If your child is already experiencing a migraine attack, put him or her to rest comfortably, with dim to no lights, and keep the room as noise and movement-free as possible. Your child must go to sleep for relief.
Over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may not be effective in adults, but are effective in children with migraines. Consult your doctor on the recommended dose based on your child’s weight and height, as well as his or her age.
