Childhood Migraines

It is estimated that 10% of children under the age of fifteen suffer from migraines however; this number is probably considerably higher. Migraine headaches are hard to diagnose in children because children have a hard time explaining their symptoms to their parents or doctors. As a result, more times than not, childhood migraines are written off as fatigue or crankiness.  Migraines tend to run in families. If you have a family history of migraines, your child is more apt to have problems with them and you should make sure their pediatrician is aware of the family history.

It is important to note that children who experience migraines are at a higher risk of suffering problems with motion sickness and sleepwalking.  Research shows that 45% suffer from motion sickness and 28% struggle with sleepwalking. Further research shows that obesity in children is linked to migraines. Children struggling with obesity suffer chronic, low level, systemic inflammation, which contributes to the inflammation of blood vessels during a migraine. Therefore, obese children are at a predisposed risk for migraines with more intensity.

Until the age of puberty, boys and girls experience migraines at an equal rate. However, once puberty sets in, a higher percentage of girls have problems with migraines. By the age of 17 it is estimated that 8% of boys and 23% of girls are inflicted with migraines. Children typically feel pain on both sides of their heads and experience pain for a shorter period of time until their teenage years, when the migraines start resembling those of adults.  Childhood migraines often go away but can return later in life.

There are several different types of childhood migraines and each effect the body somewhat differently.  There are also many different causes for and symptoms of childhood migraines. As with adults, a migraine diary should be kept to help pinpoint causes and triggers that lead to the symptoms and eventual attack of migraines.  When your child has a migraine, try to reconstruct the past 24 hours. Record their daily activities, the foods they ate, what the weather conditions were, any periods of stress and what caused the stress. For girls of puberty age, the dates of their menstrual cycle should be recorded as well. By doing this little bit of detective work, you can learn what triggers your child’s migraines. Helping them to avoid those things is one of the first steps to lessening the frequency of headaches and possibly preventing future episodes.

Types of Childhood Migraines:

Abdominal Migraines: Also called cyclic vomiting, these migraines occur mostly between the ages of five and nine. These migraines have severe stomach pain and recurring vomiting, typically lasting for an hour or longer.

Basilar Migraines: Occurs when the basilar artery located in the brainstem spasms. These migraines cause pain as well as speech, coordination and vision problems.

Chronic: These migraines can result from taking too much over the counter or prescription medication. These headaches usually come and go 15 or more days per month and can last on and off for months.

Cluster: These are the least common in children but they do occur. When cluster migraines occur, there is sharp, stabbing, disabling pain experienced on one side of the head lasting for usually less than three hours.

Common Migraine Triggers:

Foods: Certain foods and or food additives can trigger migraines such as dairy products, caffeine (soda, tea, and chocolate), processed or cured meats (bacon, bologna, and hotdogs), dried fruits, starches, legumes (most peas and beans), artificial sweeteners and MSG (found in Chinese foods, canned soups and seasonings).

Stress: Both emotional and physical.

Sensory: Strong intense light, noise, smells and motion.

Weather Changes: High humidity, extreme heat, extreme cold, and air pressure changes.

Genetic Predisposition: Family history of migraines.

Illnesses and infections: Ear or sinus infections, colds and flu.

Common Migraine Symptoms:

Headache

Sweating

Stomach Pain

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Vomiting

Thirst

If your child is having any of the above mentioned migraine symptoms, you should consult their pediatrician immediately. With proper diagnosis of their migraines, as well as being able to identify what triggers your child’s attacks, you can keep their episodes to a minimum and quite possibly prevent future attacks.

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DISCLAIMER: All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a guarantee of any success.  This information has been previously researched but you should do your own research to expand your knowledge. This should not be consider as medical advice.