Headaches in children

Headaches in children are common and usually aren't serious. Like adults, children can develop different types of headaches, including migraines or stress-related headaches, sometimes 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 children, headaches 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 do, but symptoms in children may be a little different. For example, migraine pain in adults often lasts at least four hours, but in children, the pain may not last as long.

Differences in symptoms may make it harder to diagnose your child's headache type, especially if your child is too young to describe symptoms. In general, though, certain symptoms tend to fall more often into four main types of headaches in children. These are migraine, tension-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 activity, such as walking or climbing stairs.
• Headache without nausea or vomiting, as 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 episodes, ranging from one headache every other day to eight a day.
• Involve sharp, stabbing pain on one side of the head that lasts less than three hours.
• Cause tearfulness, a stuffy or runny nose, sweating or flushing of the forehead and face, and 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 infection, minor head injury or use of pain medicines, even nonprescription pain medicines, too often.

Most headaches aren't serious, but 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 injury, such 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 colds, the flu, and ear and sinus infections are some of the most frequent causes of headaches in children. Very rarely, more-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 minor, seek prompt medical attention if your child falls hard on the head or gets hit hard in the head. Also, contact a healthcare professional if your child's head pain steadily worsens after a head injury.
• Emotional factors. Stress and anxiety, perhaps triggered by problems with peers, teachers or others, can influence children's headaches. Children with depression or anxiety may complain of headaches, particularly if they have trouble recognizing feelings of sadness and loneliness.
• Family history. Headaches, particularly migraines, tend to run in families.
• Certain foods and drinks. Some children get headaches if they eat or drink too much caffeine. Soda, chocolate and sports drinks can all have caffeine. Following a healthy diet and limiting processed foods can help prevent migraines in some children.
• Brain conditions. Rarely, a brain tumor, an abscess or bleeding in the brain can press on areas of the brain, causing a chronic, worsening headache. When this happens, however, there are other symptoms, such as trouble with vision, dizziness and lack of coordination.

All children can have headaches, but they're more common in:

• Girls after puberty, when 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 headaches, or at least make them less severe:

• Practice healthy behaviors. Behaviors that promote general good health also may help prevent headaches for your child. These lifestyle measures include getting plenty of sleep, staying physically active, eating healthy meals and snacks, drinking up to eight glasses of water daily, and limiting caffeine.
• Reduce stress. Stress and busy schedules may increase how often your child has headaches. Watch for stress in your child's life, such as schoolwork or problems with friends or classmates. If you notice a connection between your child's headaches and anxiety or depression, consider 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 start, how long they last and what, if anything, provides relief.

  Record whether your child feels better or worse after taking any headache medicine. Over time, keeping 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 sleep, stress 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 intervals, such as certain antidepressants, antiseizure medicines or beta blockers, may reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.