Headache in children, contrary to appearances, happens quite often - even infants suffer. Often the causes of headaches in children are trivial and easy to eliminate, but if symptoms are severe or recurring, find out what is causing them and consult your doctor whenever you are in doubt. What causes headaches in children?

Headache in childrenmay be caused by hunger or dehydration, but also by a serious illness. Therefore, if your child suffers from headaches, you should monitor them carefully and if in doubt, consult a doctor as soon as possible. You can read about what to do if your child has migraines here. What are the causes ofheadaches in children ?

Headaches in children: types

Headaches in children are divided into:

  • spontaneous so-called headaches by themselves
  • symptomatic - being a symptom of another serious illness
  • neuralgia
  • unqualified pains

Why does my baby have a headache?

The most common causes of headaches in a child are:

  • unhygienic lifestyle - headaches can appear both sporadically and regularly, when the child has too little or too much sleep, spends too much time in front of the computer or TV screen, is physically inactive, and he eats improperly
  • eye defects - cause recurring headaches in the afternoon or evening, ophthalmological consultation is necessary
  • stress - both those related to problems at home and in kindergarten or school can cause pain, most often located around the forehead, occiput and temples, it occurs in the afternoon and evening
  • infection - headache is usually accompanied by a runny nose, cough, fever; give your child an antipyretic and painkiller (preferably with ibuprofen as it also has anti-inflammatory properties)
  • parasites - headaches recur frequently, the child is lethargic or over-agitated, may complain of abdominal pain and have trouble sleeping; your pediatrician can either order a stool test or prescribe anti-parasite medications straight away
  • sinusitis - the headache is located at the base of the nose and worsens when the child lowers the head, the child has a runny nose, may have a cough and elevated temperature, necessarythere is a visit to the ENT specialist
  • head injury - the pain occurred after a blow to the head (immediately or in a few days), when the pain lasts longer or there is a loss of consciousness, the child vomits, loses contact with the environment, has uneven pupils, you must go to the hospital immediately
  • meningitis - headache is accompanied by fever, stiff neck (nape) and vomiting; take your baby to the hospital immediately
  • neurological problems - they may be indicated by headaches that cannot be explained by other causes, headaches are strong and often repeat - also at night, accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, convulsions; do not delay visiting a neurologist who usually orders an EEG of the brain and magnetic resonance imaging to rule out or confirm the existence of serious diseases (e.g. cancer or epilepsy)

Headache in children: what to look for?

  • type of headache - acute or chronic, does the whole head hurt, or only certain areas of it, is the pain increasing
  • what is the beginning of the headaches
  • how often does the pain occur and does it repeat itself
  • what time of the day do you experience headaches (very important symptom)
  • Are there any symptoms that precede pain (the so-called aura)
  • if the pain is always accompanied by other symptoms, e.g. vomiting
  • when is the headache throw and how long does it last
  • which triggers a headache (light, noise, effort, body position)
  • distribution of pain and how it spreads
  • pain intensity and nature
  • what makes pain worse and what soothes it
  • Are there any stressors
  • what is the effectiveness of the treatment

When should your child's headaches make you anxious?

There are situations when the appearance of a headache in a child should prompt the parents to immediately consult a doctor:

  • sudden onset of headaches
  • no family history of migraine
  • gait disturbance - falls
  • night and morning headaches
  • behavior change, slowing down
  • elevated temperature
  • headaches that intensify over time
  • epileptic seizures

When a child's headache is a symptom of an illness

If headaches occur regularly and are intense in your child, be sure to see a doctor. Depending on what headache is bothering the child, various diseases can be suspected.A sharp headache can mean:

  • central nervous system infection
  • systemic infections
  • cerebral vascular diseases (embolism, intracranial hemorrhage,blood clot in the veins)
  • in a child with hydrocephalus with an implanted valve - dysfunction of its functioning
  • electrolyte disturbance
  • carbon monoxide poisoning

acute recurrent headache can be:

  • migraine
  • tension pains
  • cluster pains
  • neuralgie

chronic recurrent progressive headache usually can mean:

  • brain tumor
  • pseudo-brain tumor
  • chronic epidural and subdural hematomas
  • brain abscess
  • hydrocephalus
  • hypertension (therefore blood pressure measurement is also important in children)

chronic non-progressive headache is usually:

  • chronic tension headache
  • chronic migraine
According to an expertbow. Maciej Pawłowski, resident doctor - paediatrics

Headaches are a common ailment in children. The causes of headaches vary from the harmless and simulated ones to those that threaten the he alth and life of a child. Parents or guardians should find out exactly what the severity of the child's pain is, whether it changes over time, and what factors increase the symptoms. It is also important to know what time the head hurts most often and in what place. It is also important to exclude the child from suffering a head injury. In case of any doubts, parents should be instructed to come to the clinic to have their child examined by a pediatrician, who, if necessary, has the opportunity to carry out diagnostics or refer the child to a neurologist or for hospital treatment.

Category:

Child's he alth