Headaches in Children

What is a headache?

A headache is a discomfort in the head area from the forehead to the top of the head that has not been caused by a head injury.

Causes of headaches

Viral illness - headache is related to fever and usually lasts several days.
Headache caused by hunger - 30% of people gets headaches when they are hungry. It goes away within 30 minutes after they eat.
Non-hazardous headaches: exercising, playing a wind instrument, chewing gum, coughing, eating or drinking cold food or drinks.
Head trauma.
Infection of the frontal sinuses - pain is felt in the forehead above the eyebrows. Other symptoms include a stuffy nose or runny nose. It rarely occurs in children under ten because the frontal sinus is not yet developed. Infection of the other sinuses causes facial pain, not a headache.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Other symptoms include tension in the neck, high fever and loss of consciousness.

Tension headache - causes a tightness around the head, often accompanied by tension and pain in the neck muscles. It may be caused by prolonged standing, sitting and reading at a computer for long periods, stress or nervousness.
A migraine is a severe headache that prevents the child from doing everyday activities. It often develops on one side and starts suddenly. 80% of people with migraine experience nausea and vomiting. Light and noise increase the pain. Most children prefer to sleep in a dark and quiet room. Migraine is often genetically conditioned.

Mild: The child feels and complains of a headache, but it does not interfere with regular activity. Sleep, play and going to school does not change.
Moderate: The pain interferes with child's everyday activities. The child may wake up in pain.
Severe: Severe, unbearable pain that prevents normal activities.

You cannot wake the child, or the child becomes unconscious
The child is behaving unknowingly or speaking incoherently
The limpness of arm or leg is pronounced on one side
The child is unable to walk or loses r balance
There is tension in the neck, and the child is unable to rest their chin on the chest
Severe and persistent headaches (the child has lost the ability to do anything)
Severe migraine attack that persists despite taking migraine
Vomiting
Loss of sight or double vision
You think the child has a life-threatening or urgent condition.
The child does not look well.

You cannot wake the child, or the child becomes unconscious
The child is behaving unknowingly or speaking incoherently
The limpness of arm or leg is pronounced on one side
The child is unable to walk or loses r balance
There is tension in the neck, and the child is unable to rest their chin on the chest
Severe and persistent headaches (the child has lost the ability to do anything)
Severe migraine attack that persists despite taking migraine

Make sure that the headache attack is as intense as before.
Give your child a prescribed migraine medication as soon as the episode begins.
If no medicine is prescribed, give ibuprofen as quickly as possible. Repeat if necessary after 6 hours.
Lay the child in a quiet and dark room and let them try to sleep.
Give plenty of fluids to drink.
Do not allow the child to skip meals; give food on time.
Try to put the child to bed on time.