Patient education: Abdominal migraines (The Basics)

What are abdominal migraines? — Abdominal migraines are a type of migraine that mostly happen to children. But instead of having a headache, the pain is in the belly (abdomen). Doctors are not sure exactly what causes abdominal migraines. But they are more likely to happen in:

●Children who are between 2 to 10 years old

●Girls

●Children with family members who get migraines, including migraine headaches

Abdominal migraines are "recurrent." This means that they happen more than once. Between abdominal migraines, children have no belly pain or other symptoms.

Most children stop having abdominal migraines by the time they are teens. But many children who have abdominal migraines go on to have migraine headaches as adults.

What are the symptoms of an abdominal migraine? — The main symptom of an abdominal migraine is belly pain. The pain can be in the middle of the belly or all over. It can last for several hours or even a couple of days, if not treated.

Children with abdominal migraines also have 2 or more of the following symptoms:

●Lack of appetite

●Nausea

●Vomiting

●Looking very pale

Some children also have a headache during an abdominal migraine.

Should my child see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. If your child is having symptoms of an abdominal migraine, they should see their doctor or nurse.

Will my child need tests? — Maybe. There is no test for an abdominal migraine. Usually, the doctor or nurse can diagnose an abdominal migraine by doing an exam and learning about the child's symptoms. But the doctor or nurse might order tests to check for other causes of abdominal pain.

How is an abdominal migraine treated? — Treatment for abdominal migraines depends on the child and their symptoms. Treatment might include medicines to:

●Help with pain

●Stop the child from vomiting

●Prevent another abdominal migraine

Talk to the child's doctor or nurse before giving any medicines for abdominal migraine. This includes over-the-counter medicines.

Is there anything I can do to help my child feel better? — Yes. During an abdominal migraine, it can help to have the child rest in a quiet room until they feel better.

Can abdominal migraines be prevented? — There are some things you can do to lower the chances of your child having another abdominal migraine. These include:

●Medicines – Talk to your child's doctor or nurse about whether medicines can help prevent abdominal migraines.

●Make sure that your child has a regular sleep routine – Try to have your child go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

●Lower stress – Try to help your child manage their stress. This can be done with relaxation exercises or meditation.

When should I call the doctor? — Call the doctor or nurse for advice if your child:

●Has signs of an infection – These include a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, or pain when urinating.

●Has belly pain that is getting worse

●Has belly pain that lasts longer than 3 days

●Has more than 3 abdominal migraines in a month

●Cannot keep fluids down

●Has a hard time urinating or having a bowel movement

●Has pain in a different part of the belly than usual

●Has pain that is much worse than usual

More on this topic

Patient education: Migraines in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Headaches in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Headache in children (Beyond the Basics)