What Are the Causes of Headaches in 8-Year-Old Boys?

It's not uncommon at all for an 8-year-old boy to get headaches. Kids get headaches for the same reasons that grownups do. But kids, especially young boys, can get headaches due to risky play, staring at computer games for too long, forgetting to eat and staying up too late. If your son is complaining of headaches, the reason may be easily explainable.

Medications

• Medication could be causing your 8-year-old's headache. Medications that may be to blame include over-the-counter allergy drugs and even aspirin.

Sleep Irregularities

• After you say goodnight, you have no idea what goes on in your child's bedroom. If he's staying up to all hours, it's no wonder he's getting headaches. If you have more than one child, try separating the kids for two or three nights to see if the headaches persist.

Nutrition

• We're always being told that kids today eat too much. But on the flip side, some kids are so preoccupied with their extracurricular activities and playing video games that they're just not getting the food they need. Skipping meals can result in headaches.

Injuries

• Check that he always wears that helmet when he's riding a bike or skateboard. And be sure to supervise wrestling matches and other risky play. Boys notoriously play more roughly than girls.

Computer

• Staring at a computer screen for hours on end could result in a pounding headache. If your son is playing computer games for more than an hour in one sitting and getting headaches, you might have just found the culprit.