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Migraines in Children

It used to be thought that children did not get migraines, but now we know that's not the case. Migraines can afflict a person throughout their lives, including childhood. The most common type of migraines in children is called abdominal migraines or chronic vomiting syndrome. Children can get classic migraine, too.

  1. Extent of Problem

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, before a child is 17, 23 percent of all girls and 8 percent of all boys have had a classic migraine (debilitating pain on one side of the head that comes seemingly from out of the blue). Those are only the children who have been diagnosed. When a child can't talk or has trouble talking because of the pain, it may be difficult for an adult to diagnose the problem.

    Dilating Pupils

    • Eye tests in children involve dilating the pupils with eye drops called phenylephrine and cyclopentolate. This makes it much easier to look for serious eye diseases such as glaucoma. However, these drops can often induce a classic migraine, including nausea, vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light and dizziness. The effects go away in anywhere from 2 to 24 hours.

    Abdominal Migraines

    • This is when, periodically, children get cramping, nausea and gut pain, and vomit. Their face often is very pale or flushed as if they have a fever (but they usually do not have a fever). This occurs most often in children from 5 to 9 years old, then often goes away. However, most children with abdominal migraines become adults with classic migraines.

    Signs in Very Small Children

    • Since very small children can't talk, it's hard to determine why they are crying. If they have a migraine, children tend to hide their eyes from any light, plug up their ears, vomit or have an upset stomach, and want to remain lying down. They need a dark, quiet room to recover. Ice packs on the forehead can also help ease the pain. Putting on a white noise machine can help those children who become hypersensitive to sound. If these attacks happen more than once a month, call a doctor.

    Injury

    • Head injuries can also cause migraines in children. Any child who has had a concussion should be taken to the emergency room to check for skull fractures or other damage. Often with concussions or head injuries, the pain doesn't set in until hours or even days after the blow. The child can also become very confused or slow moving.

    Warning

    • Adult headache or migraine medications are generally far too strong for children under 16 years old. No medication, herbal remedy or alternative therapy should be given unless it is prescribed by your doctor.

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