About this topic
Headache is the word used to describe aching or pain in the head. Headaches are common in children. There are many types of headaches. Some of them are: ‚
- Headaches that go along with an illness or injury. These may be caused by a virus or other infection. They can also happen when a child does not get enough to drink.
- Tension type headaches. These are not often bad enough to keep a child from doing daily activities. Your child may feel tightness in the muscles around the head, neck, and shoulders.
- Migraine headaches. These often start off mild and get worse. Your child is often not able to do normal activities. This kind of headache may also have other signs with it like throwing up and being sensitive to light or sound.
Not all headaches are serious, but your child needs to see a doctor. Some kinds may be a sign of a serious problem. Treatment for headaches will depend on what is causing them. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
- Keep a diary about your childs headaches. Write down when the headache happens. Include what your child was doing before it happened. Write down what your child ate before the headache and how much sleep your child got. This will help you learn what might be causing your child's headaches. Then, you can learn how to help your child avoid them.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over your child's head. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Let your child lie down in a quiet, dark room.
- Let your child get enough sleep. Sleeping too much or too little may cause headache.
- Monitor and limit the time your child spends in watching TV or using a computer.
- Make sure your child is dressed comfortably and wearing a hat or visor when sun is hot.
What follow-up care is needed?
- The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Your child's doctor may want to do tests if the headache comes back. The results will help the doctor understand what kind of headache your child has and what causes it. Together you can make a plan for more care.
What lifestyle changes are needed?
Some things can lessen the chance for your child to get a headache. Make sure your child: ‚
- Keeps the same sleep routine and gets enough sleep.
- Eats regular meals.
- Drinks lots of fluids, especially when playing in hot weather.
What drugs may be needed?
Your childs doctor may order drugs based on the type of headache your child may have. The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent or stop the headache
- Treat upset stomach and throwing up
Children younger than 18 should not take aspirin. This can lead to a very bad health problem. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
Headaches may be painful enough to stop or limit your child from doing normal activities. Plan and schedule your childs activities. Do not let your child do too much or stressful activities. Make sure your child has a balance between activities and rest time. Limit how long your child plays in the hot sun. ‚
What problems could happen?
Headache may be related to a more serious health condition. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Know the factors that may trigger your childs headache.
- Have your child go to sleep and get up at the same time every day.
- Encourage your child to get regular exercise and eat a balanced diet. Good health habits may help prevent headaches.
- Limit screen time. This includes watching TV, using computers, and playing video games.
- Help your child learn to deal with stress. You may want to get professional help to deal with family and school issues.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher
- Change in your childs headaches. These include headaches that awaken your child from sleep, headaches happen more often or get worse, headaches are different than before.
- If your child is younger than 3 years old
- Throwing up more than 3 times in the next 48 hours
- Behavioral changes
- Stiff neck
- Trouble sleeping
- Passing out
- Headache after a head injury
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my child's pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if there is a change in my child's headaches.
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/headache.html# ‚
National Headache Foundation ‚
http://www.headaches.org/blog/children-experience-frequent-headaches ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/headaches/Pages/Headachesinchildren.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚