Often parents are scared by the appearance of a headache in a child, as this is the only non-specific symptom that is not able to accurately inform about a particular disease. There are many reasons, and not always they will be associated with pathologies. In many cases, children suffer from routine overwork or emotional distress.
Statistical data
According to surveys, the headache in a child in frequency of occurrence is in second place among the ailments. This is a fairly common occurrence. More often, children complain only of abdominal pain. The head can hurt not only in adolescents, but also in newborns.
In babies in such situations, excessive tearfulness appears. Their sleep is disturbed. They can also burp a fountain. At the age of 1 to 3 years, children are tired, they require increased attention.
At school age, a child's headache is much more common than in young children. Girls and boys complain about it, and the first of them are somewhat more common.
Main reasons
Headaches in a child can occur due to various factors. Usually they are divided into two categories:
- Pain of organic origin appears due to serious disorders or infectious processes inside the skull. These include, for example, encephalitis and meningitis, as well as tumor formations and cysts.
- Functional pains are the result of circulatory disorders in the brain due to fatigue, diseases of internal organs and other causes that can lead to irritation of receptors located in the vessels of the head.
The causes of headaches in a child under 10 years old can be found even in malnutrition. It can provoke the use of certain foods. These include those that contain nitrites that cause vasoconstriction. For an adult, they are not dangerous, but for a child's body, preservatives are irritants.
In a child under 10 years of age, a headache can be caused by trauma. It is at this age that children are very mobile. Sometimes there is no visible damage, but after some time the head begins to hurt. A certain influence is exerted by external factors, which adults do not pay much attention to. It can be specific smells, loud noises or bright lights.
Sometimes the cause is vascular disorders in the form of hypertension. The provoking factors include: heredity, sleep disturbances, weather conditions and some other external manifestations. If hypertension is present in a mild form, then the pain quickly ceases.
A child may also suffer from migraines. Many experts believe that it is transmitted through the maternal line. The disease is due to decreased production of serotonin in the brain.
Often children have neurological problems. In this case, the child has sharp headaches after a short period of time. They can be amplified by movements. At the same time, involuntary contractions of the muscles of the face often occur.
The emotional state plays an important role. The presence of psychological overload leads to pain in the head. Stressful conditions can cause not only negative emotions, but also headaches. Moreover, even fun and outdoor games can be a provoking factor.
Symptomatic features
If the child often complains of a headache, close attention should be paid to this. Most often, such a symptom is a sign of some kind of disease. Importance should be given to the nature of the pain present:
- Migraine is characterized by unilateral localization. The pains are pulsating in nature. The attack can last for 4-48 hours. Along with this, the following symptoms are noted: general weakness, nausea, violent reaction to light.
- With emotional or physical stress, pains are monotonous, but can have a different degree of severity. They usually manifest as squeezing, constricting or constricting in the neck, forehead or crown. Often stress arises in children who teach lessons. In the wrong position at the desk, blood circulation worsens, as nerve endings are pinched.
- In the presence of vascular pathologies, squeezing or breaking pain appears, proceeding in most cases with dizziness and nausea. It occurs most often in the morning. In this case, the venous vessels in the fundus expand. The severity of the lower eyelids is noted, swelling is formed.
- Psychogenic headache in a child usually has bilateral localization. She is accompanied by other negative manifestations. For example, children have increased irritability, depressed mood, apathy, anxiety and other nervous conditions.
- Beam pain is very sharp. It is localized on one side in the immediate vicinity of the orbit. Often begins excessive lacrimation, redness of the face, difficulty in nasal breathing.
- In case of poisoning, sharp and acute pain is observed, recurring with a certain frequency.
Diagnostic research
If the child has a headache quite often, then a full examination is necessary. Identifying the cause is not so simple. This will require continued monitoring of his condition.
Laboratory tests must be carried out without fail:
- X-ray of the skull is a technology of radiation diagnostics. It is used to study the brain.
- Computed tomography is a way of layer-by-layer study of the structure of organs. This technique is based on the measurement and rather complex processing of changes in the attenuation of x-rays depending on tissue density.
- Magnetic resonance imaging is a type of scan of a person’s internal organs through radio waves and magnetic fields. With the help of MRI, a wide range of diseases can be detected.
- Electroencephalography is a way to study the functional state of the brain by registering bioelectric activity.
- Transcranial dopplerography - determining the effectiveness of blood flow inside the cranium. The method is often combined with other types of research.
If the child has a headache regularly, then the attending physician may refer the small patient for a consultation with a doctor specializing in a particular field of medicine. For example, sometimes the help of a neurologist, pediatric psychiatrist, endocrinologist or even an ophthalmologist is required.
Drug therapy
Not all parents know which pills for headache children can give. However, understanding medications is necessary. In any case, you will have to determine the cause of the pain. And only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.
For migraines, Cofetamine tablets are often used to relieve seizures. They have a vasoconstrictor effect and improve the functioning of the brain as a whole. Despite the prevalence of this drug, a migraine treatment regimen requires an individual approach.
With a pronounced pain syndrome caused by overstrain, the drug "Ibuprofen" is used. Tricyclic antidepressants are sometimes prescribed along with it. From 6 years old, the drug "Amitriptyline" can be used. As for the benzodiazepine tranquilizers, then in some cases, the drug “Diazepam" is prescribed. It is allowed to give children no younger than 3 years.
With bundled headaches in pediatric practice, the drug Kafergot was widely used. Ergotamine, which is part of it, normalizes the condition of extracranial arteries. This tool should be used at the very beginning of an attack.
It is not recommended to give the well-known drug "Citramon" to children with headaches up to 15 years. It contains aspirin, which can have a negative effect on the composition of the blood. With regular use, Raynaud's syndrome may even develop.
Alternative treatments
Thinking about what you can give your child a headache, many parents forget about folk remedies that have proven their best. Serious diseases should not be treated with their help. However, in the presence of pain, not complicated by any pathologies, you can try.
Folk remedies are in such cases the best option, since most medicines are not recommended for children. For instance:
- Tea from three herbs helps a lot. It consists of: mint, oregano and lemon balm. If necessary, herbs can be used individually. Sometimes leaves of dried plants are simply added to regular tea.
- Oregano and mint can be combined with fireweed. All components should be mixed in equal proportions. A tablespoon of the prepared mixture must be filled with 0.5 liters of boiling water. The remedy is infused for half an hour. It is given to the child half a cup 3-4 times a day.
- With a mild headache caused by nervous strain, green tea can help. It has a calming effect on the body. You can add a small amount of mint to it.
- Sometimes menthol oil is used in folk practice. It is applied directly to the forehead and whiskey.
- With migraine, a more complex collection is used. It includes: dill seeds, lemon balm, tansy, lime blossom. The last three components are mixed in equal proportions. Dill seeds are added twice as much. Two tablespoons of the finished mixture accounts for half a liter of boiling water.
Despite the variety of folk remedies, only a doctor is able to adequately assess the condition and make decisions about what can be given to a child from a headache in a particular case. Some remedies can be dangerous due to a possible allergic reaction, so a strictly individual approach to solving the problem is required.
What conditions should be created?
In any case, in the treatment of headaches in children, it is necessary to create certain conditions to avoid those factors that can have a negative effect. In order not to aggravate the existing situation, you need to adhere to certain recommendations:
- The child must necessarily receive with food all the necessary minerals. The diet requires a large number of vegetables and fruits, as well as cereals and protein products.
- For a small patient, the daily regimen should be carefully organized. The amount of sleep should be sufficient, but you can not go to bed too late. It is not recommended to strain eyes for a long time, sitting at a computer or reading.
- In the fresh air, the child should stay as long as possible. Of particular benefit are evening walks just before bedtime.
- The room in which the child is located should be regularly ventilated. It should not have too harsh odors.
- It is necessary to create a comfortable psychological environment in the family. Constant scandals can affect the child. From a nervous strain, headaches often begin to torment him. Adults should communicate with their child as often as possible so that he does not feel lonely.
- For general strengthening of the immune system and normal blood circulation, it is recommended to exercise. Swimming and gymnastic exercises can improve the condition of the child. With regular exercise, blood begins to circulate better in the body, blood vessels are cleaned.
Sometimes a severe headache in a child can be caused by food allergies, so you should give special care to hard cheeses, dairy products, chocolate, citrus fruits and eggs. With regular attacks, it is advisable to remove the listed components from the diet in order to exclude the specific reaction of the body from the list of possible causes.
In what cases is it necessary to call an ambulance?
Sometimes the occurrence of a headache in a child in the forehead or neck may be a serious reason for calling a doctor. In this case, additional symptoms are usually noted:
- nosebleeds;
- fever;
- weakness in the legs and arms;
- cramps
- redness of the eyes;
- loss of consciousness.
Be sure to call an ambulance if there were any injuries before the onset of pain. Problems may lie in them. Also, you can not refuse the help of a doctor in the presence of sinusitis or otitis media.
What can be done before the doctor arrives?
If the cause of the pain is known, then you must continue to give the drugs prescribed by your doctor. In other cases, you should call a doctor. Before the ambulance arrives, you need to measure the temperature of the child and make an independent examination. If any changes are found, notify the medical staff.
To determine the cause of the pain, the doctor must know when it started, what symptoms accompany it, whether the child was taking medications, whether there have been stressful situations or injuries recently. Parents need to carefully monitor their child before the ambulance arrives.
In the presence of temperature, you can give the child "Nurofen" from a headache. It has an antipyretic and analgesic effect. Especially for young children, the medicine is available in the form of a suspension, and not in tablets. If there is no temperature, you should not rush with taking medicines. It is better to wait for the recommendations of specialists.
Prior to the arrival of physicians, it is forbidden to carry out active activities such as massage, taking hot baths, etc. They in some cases can greatly worsen the situation.
In conclusion
Turning to the doctor at the right time avoids many of the negative aspects associated with the health of the child. Therefore, you can not neglect the complaints and nervous state of their children. Particular difficulties arise with infants, as they are not able to talk about pain. However, attentive parents can independently recognize in which situations it is necessary to call an ambulance so that the problem does not become global.