Headache torments not only adults, but also children. Parents usually attribute this to overwork. In this case, headaches and vomiting can occur simultaneously in children. These symptoms can indicate a variety of ailments. About the causes and methods of treatment later in the article.
Why does it appear?
If you experience headaches and vomiting in children, you should consult a doctor. For diagnostic studies, the specialist diagnoses and checks if there are dangerous ailments. Often this phenomenon occurs from:
- Overfatigue, excessive physical exertion, intense schoolwork, lack of sleep, lack of observance of the daily routine. The pain can tighten your head like a hoop, and the duration of such sensations can be about two hours. To alleviate the symptoms, the Paracetamol tablet allows you to relax as well.
- Poisoning. Probably, intoxication is considered the cause, in which vomiting will be the main companion of headache. In this situation, gastric lavage is necessary. An allergy in the form of a gag reflex appears on a specific food or drug. Temperature, headache, vomiting in a child can occur precisely because of poisoning.
- Overheating in the sun. Sunstroke is considered dangerous for adults and children. Overheating usually leads to not only pain in the head, but also to nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.
- Temperature rise. When vomiting occurs with a reflex, you need to measure the temperature: vomiting often occurs as a reaction to high temperature.
These are the main reasons when a headache and vomiting occurs in children. Usually, first aid can get rid of unpleasant symptoms, improving the condition. But the symptoms - vomiting and headache in a child - can be the cause of serious ailments.
What to consider?
Headache is an unpleasant symptom that appears when the vessels of the brain expand or their tone changes. The problem usually occurs in adults with fatigue, autonomic or neurological disorders. But often there is a headache, weakness, vomiting in children. This phenomenon can be associated with various reasons, only a doctor can accurately determine them.
A hereditary reason deserves special attention, especially if the parents suffered from migraines. For many reasons, the tone of the vessels changes. As a result, headache develops, which is combined with neurological and gastrointestinal manifestations.
Migraine
This ailment is able to be inherited by the maternal side. Pain appears on one side of the head, usually pulsating. Such sensations are observed in the temporal and frontal parts.
Before puberty, migraine appears in both girls and boys. In the future, women are prone to such pain symptoms. In addition to painful sensations, there may be an acute reaction to light, loud noises, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Infections
Headaches and vomiting in children can cause infections that enter the body. A dangerous consequence is meningitis. With this ailment, the child is lethargic, indifferent, changes in consciousness, vomiting appear.
Pain usually appears behind the head, and muscles are strained on the back of the head. In this case, emergency medical care is required, otherwise the disease can be fatal.
Polio
With this ailment, a child may experience headache, vomiting, and nausea. Usually polio appears up to 6 years. Vomiting reflex with pain in the head can be considered one of the signs. Cough, sore throat, nasal mucosa, as well as fever and weakness also occur.
It is necessary to be vaccinated against this dangerous infectious disease. According to statistics, the fatal outcome is 14%, but if it was possible to survive after an illness, then there will be disability.
Brain tumor
The appearance of nausea, vomiting, headache in a child may be associated with neoplasms in the brain. The following symptoms may indicate this ailment:
- passivity, refusal of food;
- impaired coordination of movement, loss of confidence in the gait;
- visual impairment;
- rapid weight loss;
- the appearance of unhealthy pallor of the skin;
- nervous irritability, moods;
- the appearance of pain in the head in the morning or at night, sensations can increase.
In these cases, timely medical attention is needed. Do not self-medicate.
Intracranial pressure
Severe headache, vomiting in a child may be associated with intracranial pressure. Identification of such a pathology occurs using special diagnostic procedures. The reasons for the high intracranial pressure are considered to be a lack of oxygen during pregnancy, entanglement of the umbilical cord or a long birth process. Particular symptoms include the appearance of:
- nausea, vomiting;
- soreness in the eyes;
- unstable emotional behavior - tearfulness, irritability;
- drowsiness, apathy;
- intense pain in the head.
Children with such an ailment require observation by a neurologist. Only a specialist can prescribe effective treatments.
Concussion
Head injury in children occurs frequently. In this case, the appearance of vomiting, headache, temperature in the child is likely. Symptoms appear some time after the injury.
You should ask the child if there were any falls or blows to the head. You also need to inspect the head for bruises and abrasions. Bruises that may seem harmless can cause a concussion. In this situation, you need to see a doctor sooner.
Diabetes and fasting
With type 1 diabetes and starvation in children, the appearance of an acetonemic syndrome is likely due to the oxidation of fats as an energy source. With this ailment, insulin deficiency does not allow cells to use glucose as an energy substrate, and as a result, fat oxidation is observed.
The breakdown products of fatty acids lead to ketoacidosis, i.e. blood acidification. The body wants to eliminate toxic fat metabolism by releasing acetone and other ketone bodies through the gastric mucosa. As a result, organ irritation is observed and vomit is released. The brain also receives negative consequences from the products of fatty acid oxidation: vascular permeability increases, swelling increases, and pain occurs.
Renal failure
With impaired renal function, an accumulation of excess fluid and nitrogen metabolism toxins in the body appears. This is likely with glomerulonephritis and pregnancy complication - eclampsia. In this condition, an increase in edema occurs and the amount of fluid in the ventricles of the brain increases and the cerebrospinal fluid pressure rises.
Convulsions appear in the form of an epileptic seizure. Vomiting is also likely, because through the stomach there is a release of toxic components that glow in the body with renal failure - creatinine, uric acid.
Gastric and intestinal ailments
If the child has a headache, he is sick, that is, there is a risk of damage to the digestive tract. With many pathologies, pain or discomfort in the abdomen, bloating and flatulence appear. Headache, diarrhea, and vomiting develop in a child.
With infectious or inflammatory ailments, a high body temperature, weakness appears. Self-treatment can only aggravate the situation.
First aid
If headaches with vomiting increase in a child, then a doctor should be called. Before visiting the pediatrician, you can give an anesthetic and provide absolute peace. It is necessary to eliminate the noise, sharp lighting to put the child to bed by turning his head or laying on one side. Allowed to give the tablet "Glycine", placing it under the tongue: so the child will calm down.
It is important that the headache accompanied by vomiting in the child does not lead to a worsening of the condition. Therefore, before the arrival of doctors it is necessary to provide first aid:
- Ventilate the room to provide oxygen.
- With elevated temperature, an antipyretic is required.
- A cold compress is applied to the forehead.
- Perform a light head massage to relieve severe cramping.
- It is advisable to feed the child with steamed food, cereals in the water. Forbidden fried foods, salty and sweet, as well as pastries.
- If a child refuses to eat, do not force him. Let him drink more water.
- Breasts should be breastfed or fed more often. With weakness and refusal to drink, the liquid should be influenced in small portions: a lot of water can lead to a new attack of vomiting. Dehydration leads to negative consequences. To restore the water-salt balance, the Regidron preparation is needed: 1 sachet is added to 1 liter of water.
The presence of dehydration is determined by:
- weakness, lethargy of the child;
- cold extremities;
- tendency to sleep;
- moodiness, often crying without tears;
- barely noticeable pulse;
- heart palpitations;
- dry mouth
- rare urination;
- circles under the eyes.
Frequent vomiting, headache in a child are good reasons for going to the doctor. Timely help will help improve the condition and prevent deterioration.
Diagnostics
Arriving specialist must establish the cause and condition. The doctor prescribes diagnostic measures for the child, which consist of:
- blood test;
- computed tomography of the brain;
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- consultation of an ophthalmologist, neurologist, surgeon and otolaryngologist.
Thanks to a general blood test, it will be possible to establish the general condition of the body. Deviations in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate allow pathology to be detected. An increase in white blood cells indicates an inflammatory process.
Breasts are prescribed an ultrasound scan of the brain. This method will help determine hydrocephalus and the development of tumors and cysts. After these procedures, a specialist can make a diagnosis. Treatment of the child is carried out individually. It is necessary to follow the doctor's recommendations, as this affects further health.
The main methods of treatment
Treatment is medication and non-medication. In the first case, it includes effective measures:
- physical exercises - swimming, skating and skiing;
- compliance with the regime of the day;
- walks in the fresh air, restriction of viewing of a televisor;
- proper nutrition;
- psychotherapy;
- massage performance;
- electrophoresis;
- acupuncture;
- phytotherapy.
Drug treatment is used when the symptoms prevent children from living fully, learning. It is carried out under the supervision of doctors in a hospital. If the cause of such symptoms is high intracranial pressure, then treatment is considered mandatory.
The consequences of this ailment can be sad: vision is lost, epileptic seizures develop, mental functions are disturbed. Surgical intervention is rarely prescribed, for example, the elimination of a cyst, a tumor. Medication includes taking diuretics, hormones, vitamins, sedatives. Effective drugs that restore cerebral circulation and sleep.
Treatment
With a headache, diarrhea, vomiting in a child, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor. Before using any medication, it is advisable to consult a doctor. With an acetone crisis, children are hospitalized. In the hospital, sorbents are prescribed, nutrition is adjusted. It is necessary to limit the use of fatty foods, drink more water so that there is no dehydration. Usually the pain disappears after stopping the acute period.
With arterial hypotension and frequent migraines, it is necessary to normalize the lifestyle, eliminate stress. The child needs a good rest, often to be in the fresh air. If you ask a lot of lessons, you need to correctly distribute the load.
Arterial hypertension is usually detected in overweight children. The child will not complain of headaches and poor health when restoring nutrition. The menu should include fresh vegetables, fruits, cereals, proteins. Better yet, sign up for a professional nutritionist.
To improve the well-being of a child with a headache, specialists often prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Symptoms of general intoxication are eliminated with them, temperature, headache are restored. In pediatrics, such agents as Nurofen and Panadol are actively used. For children from 12 years old, the drug Nimesil is suitable.
ethnoscience
If you can’t improve your well-being with rest, then you need medicine. The difficulty is that many drugs cannot be used to eliminate pain in minors. Recipes of traditional medicine will help improve the condition. But in this case, all actions must be discussed with the doctor:
- It is necessary to separate several sheets of cabbage and attach the inside to the affected area - the back of the head, forehead or temples.
- Fresh vegetable juice helps. In it, cotton pads are moistened and applied to the ears for 10-15 minutes.
- A little balm "Asterisk" rubbed into the temple area.
- Eliminate the pain will allow herbal tea with lemon balm. It can be bought at the pharmacy. This recipe is especially useful if the pain appeared due to emotional stress.
- Milk and egg shake is used. The tool, although not very pleasant in taste, but copes with migraines. In a glass, you need to develop an egg, and then pour warm milk. After mixing, you can drink.
- Lemon juice tones up perfectly, eliminates a moderate headache. Juice must be mixed with water in an amount of 1: 1.
- Fresh peeled lemon peel will also help get rid of pain. It must be applied to the temples for 10-15 minutes.
Folk remedies often allow you to restore the condition of the child. But a consultation with a doctor will allow him to be protected from unpleasant consequences.
Prognosis and complications
When the cause of the disease is not serious, then the prognosis will be positive. For brain tumors, therapy is considered difficult; surgery is often required when conservative methods are useless. Common consequences and complications include:
- weight loss;
- slow growth;
- learning lag;
- sleep disturbances.
In infants with such symptoms, they slowly gain weight and usually refuse milk. If signs of pain appear, medical attention is needed.
Prevention
Sometimes vomiting after a headache in a child is repeated. The cause of this may be chronic ailments, for example, high intracranial pressure or frequent infectious diseases. To prevent seizures and reduce the frequency of their occurrence, the following recommendations must be observed:
- Avoid frequent stresses and conflicts in the family, as they cause bouts of pain.
- Regular walks will be beneficial for the child. It is important to find time for hiking.
- You need to eat every 4-5 hours. It is necessary that the diet be balanced and include vitamins, minerals, water (at least 4-8 glasses per day).
- It is necessary to limit products that are dangerous for children. This applies to dark chocolate, cocoa, cheeses, nuts. It is necessary to exclude caffeine, cola, chips and other junk food.
- A night's sleep should be at least 8 hours, but no more than 10 hours a day. Lie down and get up at the same time.
- It is important to alternate physical activity with proper rest, and avoid overwork. You need to make a daily routine.
- Regular exercise, sports are required. With an attack, you need to limit the load.
- You need to reduce the time you watch TV and stay at the computer.
- If headache, vomiting, temperature are associated with poisoning, it is necessary to teach the child to follow simple hygiene rules: wash hands before eating and after using the toilet. Do not drink tap water and rinse vegetables and fruits with running water. You should also be careful while swimming in public places.
The gag reflex is an indication that the body is malfunctioning. With pain in the head, they can mean a pathological or inflammatory process. Therefore, do not drag it to the doctor in order to improve the condition of the child as soon as possible.