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Patient education: Headaches in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Headaches in children (The Basics)

What types of headaches can children get? — Headaches are common in children. Two of the most common types of headaches in children are:

Tension headaches – Tension headaches cause pressure or tightness on both the left and right sides of the head. Tension headaches are usually not severe enough to keep children from doing their daily activities, such as going to school.

Migraine headaches – Migraine headaches often start mild and then get worse. They might affect just 1 side of the head or both. Migraine can also cause your child to feel sick or vomit, or make them sensitive to light and sound. Migraine can also cause temporary problems with vision. For example, before a migraine attack, some children see spots or colored lights. When they have a migraine attack, children are often not able to do their normal daily activities, such as go to school.

Children also tend to get headaches if they have a cold, the flu, a sore throat, or a sinus infection.

In rare cases, headaches in children are caused by a serious infection (such as meningitis), severe high blood pressure, or brain tumors.

Should my child see a doctor or a nurse? — Take your child to the doctor right away (without giving any medicine) if they have a headache that:

Starts after a head injury

Wakes them up

Is sudden and severe and happens with other symptoms, such as:

Vomiting

Neck pain or stiffness

Double vision or changes in vision

Confusion

Loss of balance

Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

You should also take your child to see a doctor or nurse if they:

Get headaches more than once a month

Have a headache and are younger than 6 years old

Have a headache and have certain medical conditions, such as sickle cell disease, bleeding problems, immune system problems, genetic problems, heart problems, or cancer

If your child's doctor or nurse suspects a serious infection or problem, they might order an imaging test such as an MRI or a CT scan. Imaging tests create images of the inside of the body.

Is there anything I can do to help my child feel better? — Yes. If your child does not need to see a doctor or nurse, you can:

If possible, have your child rest in a quiet, dark space. It might help to put a cool, damp cloth on their forehead.

Encourage your child to sleep, if they want to. Sleep can help, especially with migraine headaches.

Give your child pain medicine, such as children's acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or children's ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). Never give aspirin to a child younger than 18 years. In children, aspirin can cause a life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome.

If your child gets frequent headaches, their doctor or nurse might suggest other medicines.

What might be causing my child's headaches? — Sometimes, headaches can be triggered by certain foods or things that children do. To get an idea of what might be causing your child's headaches, keep a "headache diary." This involves writing down every time your child has a headache and what they ate and did before it started.

Some common headache triggers are:

Skipping meals

Not drinking enough fluids

Having too much caffeine, or having less caffeine than usual

Sleeping too much or too little

Stress

Certain foods, such as bologna or hot dogs

You can also write down what medicine you gave your child for the headache and whether or not it helped.

Is there anything I can do to keep my child from getting headaches? — If you know what things trigger your child's headache, avoid those things if possible.

It also might help for your child to:

Eat healthy foods, and avoid skipping meals. Drink plenty of water.

Get enough sleep. Try to have a consistent sleep schedule.

Learn healthy ways to manage stress.

Make other healthy lifestyle changes, like getting more physical activity.

More on this topic

Patient education: Migraines in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Head injury in children and teens (The Basics)
Patient education: Meningitis in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Headaches in adults (The Basics)

Patient education: Headache in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Headache causes and diagnosis in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Headache treatment in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Migraines in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Meningitis in children (Beyond the Basics)

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Feb 02, 2024.
Disclaimer: This generalized information is a limited summary of diagnosis, treatment, and/or medication information. It is not meant to be comprehensive and should be used as a tool to help the user understand and/or assess potential diagnostic and treatment options. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient. It is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for the medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider based on the health care provider's examination and assessment of a patient's specific and unique circumstances. Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options, including any risks or benefits regarding use of medications. This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient. UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates disclaim any warranty or liability relating to this information or the use thereof. The use of this information is governed by the Terms of Use, available at https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/know/clinical-effectiveness-terms. 2024© UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved.
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