Headaches in children

Headaches in children are common and usually aren't serious. Like adultschildren can develop different types of headachesincluding migraines or stress-related headachessometimes called tension-type headache (TTH). Children also can have chronic daily headache (CDH). CDH is the term for headaches that occur 15 or more days a month for more than three months.

In some childrenheadaches can be caused by:

• Infection.
• Extreme stress or anxiety.
• A minor bump to the head or other head injury.

It's important to pay attention to your child's headache symptoms and talk with a healthcare professional if the headache worsens or occurs often.

Most headaches in children can be treated with pain medicines you can buy without a prescription. Having healthy habits such as a regular schedule for sleeping and eating also can help prevent headaches in many children.

Children get the same types of headaches adults dobut symptoms in children may be a little different. For examplemigraine pain in adults often lasts at least four hoursbut in childrenthe pain may not last as long.

Differences in symptoms may make it harder to diagnose your child's headache typeespecially if your child is too young to describe symptoms. In generalthoughcertain symptoms tend to fall more often into four main types of headaches in children. These are migrainetension-type headache (TTH)cluster headache and chronic daily headache.

Migraine

Migraines can cause:

• Pulsing or throbbing head pain.
• Worsening pain when moving around.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Belly pain.
• Feeling very sensitive to lights or sounds.

Even infants can have migraines. A child who's too young to tell you what's wrong may cry or rock back and forth when in severe pain.

Tension-type headache

The symptoms of TTH are:

• A pressing tightness in the muscles of the head or neck.
• Mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head that usually does not pulse or throb.
• Pain that's not worsened by physical activitysuch as walking or climbing stairs.
• Headache without nausea or vomitingas is often present with migraine.
• Being sensitive to either light or sound but not both.

Younger children may not have as much interest in playing and want to sleep more. Tension-type headaches can last from 30 minutes to seven days.

Cluster headache

Children younger than 10 years of age are less likely to have cluster headaches. Cluster headaches often:

• Occur in groups of five or more episodesranging from one headache every other day to eight a day.
• Involve sharpstabbing pain on one side of the head that lasts less than three hours.
• Cause tearfulnessa stuffy or runny nosesweating or flushing of the forehead and faceand sometimes restlessness in children.

Chronic daily headache

Doctors use the phrase "chronic daily headache" (CDH) for migraines and tension-type headaches that occur more than 15 days a month. CDH may be caused by an infectionminor head injury or use of pain medicineseven nonprescription pain medicinestoo often.

Most headaches aren't seriousbut seek prompt medical care if your child's headaches:

• Wake your child from sleep.
• Worsen or become more frequent.
• Change your child's personality.
• Follow an injurysuch as a blow to the head.
• Cause persistent vomiting or changes in vision.
• Happen with fever and neck pain or stiffness.

Talk with your child's healthcare professional if you're worried or have questions about your child's headaches.

A number of factors can cause your child to have headaches. Factors include:

• Illness and infection. Common illnesses such as coldsthe fluand ear and sinus infections are some of the most frequent causes of headaches in children. Very rarelymore-serious infections such as meningitis or encephalitis may cause headaches. Meningitis is an infection of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Encephalitis is an infection of the brain.
• Head injury. Bumps and bruises can cause headaches. Although most of these head injuries are minorseek prompt medical attention if your child falls hard on the head or gets hit hard in the head. Alsocontact a healthcare professional if your child's head pain steadily worsens after a head injury.
• Emotional factors. Stress and anxietyperhaps triggered by problems with peersteachers or otherscan influence children's headaches. Children with depression or anxiety may complain of headachesparticularly if they have trouble recognizing feelings of sadness and loneliness.
• Family history. Headachesparticularly migrainestend to run in families.
• Certain foods and drinks. Some children get headaches if they eat or drink too much caffeine. Sodachocolate and sports drinks can all have caffeine. Following a healthy diet and limiting processed foods can help prevent migraines in some children.
• Brain conditions. Rarelya brain tumoran abscess or bleeding in the brain can press on areas of the braincausing a chronicworsening headache. When this happenshoweverthere are other symptomssuch as trouble with visiondizziness and lack of coordination.

All children can have headachesbut they're more common in:

• Girls after pubertywhen their bodies start to mature.
• Children who have a family history of headaches or migraines.
• Older teens.

Making some or all of these changes may help you prevent your child's headachesor at least make them less severe:

• Practice healthy behaviors. Behaviors that promote general good health also may help prevent headaches for your child. These life measures include getting plenty of sleepstaying physically activeeating healthy meals and snacksdrinking up to eight glasses of water dailyand limiting caffeine.
• Reduce stress. Stress and busy schedules may increase how often your child has headaches. Watch for stress in your child's lifesuch as schoolwork or problems with friends or classmates. If you notice a connection between your child's headaches and anxiety or depressionconsider talking with a counselor.

• Keep a headache diary. A diary can help you find out what causes your child's headaches. Note when the headaches starthow long they last and whatif anythingprovides relief.

  Record whether your child feels better or worse after taking any headache medicine. Over timekeeping a headache diary should help you understand your child's symptoms and how to prevent headaches.

• Avoid headache triggers. A headache trigger is something that may cause headaches or make them worse. Examples of possible headache triggers in children are a poor night's sleepstress or not drinking enough water.
• Follow your healthcare professional's plan. Your healthcare professional may recommend taking medicines to prevent headaches from happening. Certain medicines taken at regular intervalssuch as certain antidepressantsantiseizure medicines or beta blockersmay reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.