What to do when your child has a headache
As an adult we all know how painful and debilitating a headache can be. Like adults, children can also experience headaches, but what can you as a parent do if your child complains about a headache? Review spoke to general practitioner, Mariki Durand about this...
POLOKWANE – “It is very difficult to recognise a headache in a child. Sometimes they complain about a sore head and may only say they have a headache, since their parents often say it. Or maybe they just feel ill and just want to give it a name.”
She explains that depending on the age of your child and what’s causing the headache, the symptoms will vary. For example, a very young baby will not be able to touch their sore head to indicate pain. On the flip side, it’s important to remember that even toddlers, who can talk and point, might not necessarily realise it’s their head that’s hurting.
Here are some basic tell-tale signs of a normal headache:
• Crying
• Holding their head – or attempting to
• Being irritable
• Waking in the night
• Banging their head
• Pulling at their ear
• Poor appetite
• Complaining of feeling unwell generally
• Low energy
• Sensitivity to light.
Types of headaches a child can experience:
“There is not much difference from a child’s headache to an adults, but children might use different words to describe it. Or they might say they have headache but its actually ear pain or toothache.”
Children gets the same headaches as adults.
“Tension type headache is the most common cause of primary headache, followed by migraine. Headaches that are associated with fever, injury, dehydration, irregular meals, uninterrupted sleep times. There is quite a strong association with anxiety, depression, domestic violence and abuse (things that cause stress in children). Adults worry about finances, children worry about bullies.
Durant explains that clinical studies have found that a headache, as a single symptom of a brain tumor, is rare, occurring in only 2% of patients. “Headaches are rarely the only symptom of a brain tumour, usually there are more symptoms.”
How to treat a headache in children:
“Paracetamol and ibuprofen, separately or in combination, are always a good start. Try to avoid codeine-containing products. The triptaan-class medication is used for classical migraines. Of course, anxiety and depression can also be treated with appropriate medication. However, lifestyle changes, diet, good sleep patterns and exercise should be considered as preventive therapy. We do not want to raise our children with a “there’s a pill for every pain, quick-fix attack.””
