When your child begins rubbing her temples or complaining of head pain, it’s easy and natural to get worried and rush to the doctor. Don’t be too quick, however: headaches have a variety of causes, some of which require quick treatment and others which don’t.
Symptoms and Causes
Like adults, children get headaches like migraines, tension headaches, or chronic headaches. Other causes can include infections, stress, or head trauma. Pay attention to your child’s symptoms and consult a doctor if symptoms worsen or headaches occur often. For the average headache, however, over-the-counter pain medications and lifestyle remedies will effectively treat them.
So, how do you tell if you should consult a doctor? Pay attention to the symptoms and frequency, and let your doctor know what’s happening if your child gets headaches more than once a month, following any kind of head injury, or that are accompanied by vomiting, fever and neck pain or stiffness, or changes in your child’s vision.
For those with a family history of migraines or other chronic headaches, keep an eye on your child, as they likely are prone to headaches too. Hard head trauma should always be treated with medical attention, particularly if accompanied by headaches. Sometimes a headache occurs as a steadily worsening painful feeling.
A headache can also be a symptom of a common illness like the flu, a cold, an ear infection, or a sinus infection. Environmental changes are another reason headaches sometimes occur, so if the weather has been particularly unstable, this may be a reason your child is affected. If your child finds himself or herself suffering from headaches after eating certain foods or drinking certain beverages, it may be because of an additive or caffeine, so try eliminating these foods and see if it helps.
Emotional reasons can be another cause of headaches, similar to adults — school problems, friendship issues, depression, and stress or anxiety can trigger headaches.
Treatment
For most headaches, over-the-counter medications will adequately treat the pain. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen are good medications to give, but avoid aspirin if your child is under age 2, or has suffered from the chicken pox or flu lately.
For children with recurring headaches, you may be able to seek a prescription for stronger painkillers from the doctor. Painkillers tend to lose their effectiveness over time, and don’t cure headaches, so use caution and try to opt for natural treatment and lifestyle changes when possible.
If there are emotional triggers causing headaches, your child might benefit from learning relaxation techniques like meditation, biofeedback training, or therapy. For other triggers, try to identify and eliminate them. Cutting out caffeine will improve your child’s health anyway, and some children find they are sensitive to MSG or aspartame, among other additives.
Headaches are a particularly frustrating condition to treat, particularly if they occur frequently, but it is not impossible. Try to opt for natural treatments, lifestyle changes, and eliminating the triggers before medicating your child, but over-the-counter medications may help relieve the symptoms until you can eliminate the cause.
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Tags: Children's Headaches