The main causes of headaches in children
Doctors divide headaches into primary, when the pain itself is a disease, and secondary, when it is a symptom of another condition. In children, primary pain predominates: tension headache and migraine. Secondary causes are most often trivial - ARVI with fever, sinusitis, lack of sleep, hunger, dehydration in the heat, eye strain with uncorrected myopia. Less common are high blood pressure, consequences of head trauma, and very rarely, space-occupying brain lesions.
- Tension headache - pressing like a hoop towards the end of the day
- Migraine - attacks, with nausea and photophobia
- Infections with fever, including ARVI
- Sinusitis, otitis, dental problems
- Uncorrected vision, prolonged screen time
- Arterial hypertension, less often - consequences of injury
When pain requires urgent help
Most headaches can be discussed calmly at a routine appointment. But there are situations when the clock counts. Pain that occurs instantly and at the peak of intensity, pain combined with high fever and the inability to press the chin to the chest, any focal symptoms and disturbances of consciousness should be alert. If a child hits their head and after several hours there is increasing pain, vomiting, or drowsiness, urgent evaluation is needed. In such cases, call an ambulance by calling 103.
- The pain reached its maximum within seconds
- Fever with neck stiffness and rash
- Repeated vomiting without diarrhea
- Disorders of gait, speech, vision
- Cramps or fainting
- Increasing pain after head injury
What the doctor will ask and what to write down in advance
The diagnosis is mainly made based on the story, so preparation greatly speeds up the appointment. Keep a diary: the date and time of the pain, how long it lasted, where it hurt, how bad it was on a scale from 0 to 10, what happened before, what helped. Note how much your child sleeps, how he eats, how much screen time he spends, what medications he takes and how often. It is useful to write down whether the child missed school due to pain and whether the parents have headaches.
- Frequency and duration of attacks
- Nature of pain: pressing, throbbing, stabbing
- Associated nausea, photophobia, lacrimation
- Connections with school, screens, food and sleep
- What painkillers and how many days a month
- Family history of migraine
What examinations are prescribed?
The mandatory minimum is an examination by a pediatrician and a neurologist, measurement of blood pressure, assessment of vision and fundus. If there is a fever and suspected infection, a complete blood count is taken. If the presentation is typical of a tension headache or migraine and the examination is normal, no advanced imaging is required. MRI of the brain is prescribed for alarming signs. An EEG is needed not to diagnose headaches, but if epileptic seizures are suspected; echoencephalography is used as a quick auxiliary method.
- Examination by a pediatrician and pediatric neurologist
- Blood pressure measurement
- Examination by an ophthalmologist and fundus
- Complete blood count for fever
- MRI of the brain - for alarming signs
- EEG and ECHO-EG - for individual indications
What helps at home
Most episodes resolve with rest, eating, and sleep. Place the child in a ventilated, darkened room, offer water, and remove gadgets. Painkillers are given only in the dose prescribed by the doctor, and not more often than the permitted number of days per month, otherwise the pain will become chronic. Boring but effective prevention works long-term: stable sleep, breakfast, walks, breaks every 30-40 minutes during lessons and moderate screen time. If a child is worried about school, the help of a psychologist is useful.
- Relax in a quiet, cool room, sleep
- Water and a small snack
- Ventilation, breaks in classes
- Stable sleep pattern without sudden shifts
- Painkillers - only as prescribed and not abused
- Vision correction if necessary