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VomitingNeck pain or stiffnessDouble vision or changes in visionConfusionLoss of balanceFever of 100.4 � �F (38 � �C) or higher
You should also take your child to see a doctor or nurse if he or she: � �
- Gets headaches more than once a month
- Has a headache and is younger than 3 years old
- Has a headache and has certain medical conditions, such as sickle cell disease, bleeding problems, immune system problems, genetic problems, heart problems, or cancer
Is there anything I can do on my own to help my child feel better? " � Yes. If your childs headache does not fit the descriptions above, you can: � �
- Have your child rest in a quiet dark room with a cool cloth on his or her forehead.
- Encourage your child to sleep, if he or she wants to. Sleep can help, especially with migraine headaches.
- Give your child pain medicine, such as children's acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or children's ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). Never give your child aspirin. In children, aspirin can cause a life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome.
Are there tests my child should have? " � Probably not. Most headaches in children are not caused by a serious problem. � �
Your child's doctor or nurse will probably be able to tell what is wrong with your child by doing an exam and by learning about his or her symptoms. But if your child's doctor or nurse suspects a serious infection or problem, he or she might order an imaging test such as an MRI or a CT scan. Imaging tests create images of the inside of the body. � �
How are headaches in children treated? " � There are many types of medicines used to treat and to prevent headaches. Your child's doctor or nurse will decide which medicine, if any, would work best for your child. � �
Is there anything I can do to keep my child from getting headaches? " � Yes. Some headaches can be triggered by certain foods or things that children do. Keep a "headache diary " � for your child. In the diary, write down every time your child has a headache and what he or she ate and did before it started. That way, you can find out if there is anything he or she should avoid. � �
Some common headache triggers are: � �
- Skipping meals
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Having too little or too much caffeine
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Stress
- Certain foods, such as bologna or hot dogs
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 17166 Version 3.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.206 � �
� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �
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