Headaches in kids

[Phoebe]

My 6 yr old has been complaining of frequent headaches as of late. I gave her tylenol once, but don't really want to resort to that treatment. I am pushing fluids and a more regular meal schedule as she isn't a breakfast person. DH mentioned eye sight. I think I will have her checked for that.

My first instinct is to think she is just talking. However, my mom reminded me this weekend that I complained of headaches frequently since childhood and she always thought I was making it up. As an adult, I get daily headaches and frequent migraines. I don't want to blow her off like my mom did to me. However, I am not overly concerned. Anxiety is a possibility. She is a sensitive girl.

Has anyone had experience with headaches in their young children?

Re: Headaches in kids

DD1 has had headaches off and on but not so much lately. I also would have her drink some water and have a snack but if that didn't help I would give her some Tylenol. Once it seemed like a regular thing, I did the Tylenol at the onset. She seemed fairly uncomfortable by it. We ended up going to the doctor. I can't remember what happened! We were supposed to call back a few weeks later if they didn't go away so the headaches must have ended. She is a headachy kid -- she goes through bouts of it though not as long as that initial period. Eyesight is a good idea too. I got headaches around 7-8 and ended up needing reading glasses for a while. Could she be having allergies or be tired?

[locumtenenswife]

Re: Headaches in kids

I used to get headaches a lot when I was a kid, for various reasons (eyesight, low blood sugar/hunger, dehydration, stress). I didn't use tylenol regularly, only when I had a fever and really needed it. If you think the headaches might be stress induced, I wouldn't ignore it. The headaches could turn into migraines when she gets older unless she learns how to deal with the stress effectively, maybe getting her into a weekly class like dance or gymnastics would help relieve some of her tension and help her headaches.

Re: Headaches in kids

She would mention that her head hurt but like a great mom I'd usually brush it off and say, "you'll be fine honey" (I suck, BTW ).

Right there with you. She had said a few times that something on the radio was "giving her a headache" when she didn't like what I was listening to. When the real headaches started, I figured she was just complaining.

[DCJenn]

Re: Headaches in kids

According to my beloved, headaches happen a lot more in kids than people think they do. Other things that can cause headaches are food allergies and sensitivities. He says he really tries to push "whole foods" and limiting the seriously sweet stuff because the sugar crash can bring on headaches, too.

If they persist or change in duration or frequency, he said don't feel weird about consulting a Child Neurologist - it's what they do- headaches, seizures and botox- top three things he deals w/.

Jenn

[poky]

Re: Headaches in kids

I used to get headaches as a kid, and I still get similar ones. I finally figured out a few years ago that they're mild migraines (vascular, and I get light sensitivity, etc., but they're not debilitatingly bad, and are controllable with ibuprofen 99% of the time). I still haven't really figured out what triggers them. I distinctly recall getting them as a young child, though; my parents both get similar headaches, so they knew what to ask me, and to treat mine like they treated theirs. They're still of the school that calls them "sinus headaches" because we get sinus symptoms with them - so they would treat with sudafed and/or actifed (which also works, somewhat, but not as well as ibuprofen, for me). Figuring out what the pain is like and where specifically it is might help characterize it. If it's throbbing, and mostly around the temples/forehead/cheeks, and gets worse in bright light, definitely look into the possibility that they're mild migraines.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Headaches in kids

My DS gets a really bad headache immediately before he pukes...

from motion sickness...

in the car...

all over himself...

and his carseat...

when we are traveling in the middle of nowheresville central Missouri...

and we are still two hours from our destination...

and we are already late to Thanksgiving dinner.

I hate headaches.

[DCJenn]

Re: Headaches in kids

Abigail-

EW/yuck/I'm sorry? Not that any of it will help now, of course.

Jenn