Migraine Headaches

Treatment of Children

All of the diagnosis and treatment options for migraine headaches described in these pages are available for treatment of children at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Migraine headaches are very common in children, affecting more than 10 percent of school-age children. These headaches are severe, episodic and typically located in the front part of a child's head, above the eyes or in the temples. Often the pain is throbbing. A child will feel nauseous and may vomit, and will avoid bright lights, loud noises and strong odors. Sleep often helps reduce the pain.

Although migraine is often preceded by an aura of changes in vision in adults, aura is unusual in children younger than 10. Many children will have a difficult time concentrating or focusing after the headache. About two-thirds of children who have migraine have a family history of headaches.

While all the treatment options listed in these pages apply to children, of particular note in the "triggers" section is lack of sleep. Most children need eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. This is often difficult to achieve, particularly during the school year. Also, missed meals may serve as a migraine trigger for children.

Treatment Team

This disease is treated by specialists in Pediatric Neurology.

Appointments

For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at 507-538-3270 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, or complete an online appointment request form.