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Recognizing and treating kids' migraine headaches

When your child gets a headache that just never seems to quit, you might suspect a migraine. To be sure, you should check with your pediatrician.

Symptoms of migraine in kids include a disabling headache, often pounding and in the front of the head, that lasts from an hour to a few days, as well as nausea and vomiting.

Younger children may not be able to tell you how they feel, but they may prefer being in a dark, quiet room. If your child can't explain how he or she feels, ask him or her to draw you a picture of the headache.

There are many other possible causes of headaches in children. By far the most common causes of headaches are colds and the flu. Headaches also can be caused by:

- emotional issues, such as depression, stress and anxiety,
- environmental factors, such as weather changes and food ingredients, and
- head injuries and high blood pressure.

What will the pediatrician do?
Typically, a careful examination is all that is needed to diagnose migraines, but occasionally the pediatrician may order a special test, like a magnetic resonance image (MRI) or a computerized tomography (CT) scan.

Then what?
What happens next will depend on what the pediatrician thinks will work best for your child. However, there are three ways that migraines often are treated:

1. Lifestyle changes: It often helps to eat regular meals (including breakfast), get enough sleep and cut back on caffeine.
2. Drug therapy: Drugs may be used to control your child's migraines. Often, an over-the-counter drug like ibuprofen is all that's needed.
3. Other therapies: Your pediatrician may recommend stress-reducing techniques that may be helpful.

-Sue Wallace, R.N.
2005 American Academy of Pediatrics