Not so long ago it was believed that migraine occurs only in adults, but recently a similar problem has often been observed in children. This form of pathology mainly occurs in a child of primary school age, but it can also be in adolescents.
Symptoms of abdominal migraine in children are quite pronounced, as there are not only headaches, but also pain in the abdomen. Moreover, the child can not always say exactly where it hurts. Often, pain is localized in the navel, but can also affect other parts of the abdomen. In this case, the child has severe nausea.
Features of the disease
Symptoms of migraine in children do not always appear only in the form of a headache, since there are several complicated forms of this disease. Each of them has its own specifics.
One such form is abdominal migraine. This is a neurological pathology in which the usual clinical picture is additionally accompanied by severe abdominal cramps. A similar condition is often found in childhood, but can be in adolescence, as well as in adults. In boys, the first manifestations of the disease are observed 2-3 years earlier than in girls.
Among the symptoms of migraine in children, the occurrence of severe pain in the abdominal cavity, which is accompanied by malaise, headache, and nausea, should be highlighted. Attacks occur periodically and especially strong painful sensations are observed near the navel.
Due to the nature of the development and course of the disease, it is rather difficult to diagnose it, which greatly complicates the process of treatment. If the first symptoms of migraine in children occur, you should immediately visit a doctor for a consultation, since improperly conducted therapy will aggravate the situation and cause even greater problems.
When diagnosing and treating the disease, special attention is paid to provocative factors. Identification of provocateurs and their elimination allows you to minimize the frequency of exacerbation and reduce the intensity of attacks.
Causes of occurrence
Doctors cannot clearly say under the influence of what factors abdominal migraine develops in children, the symptoms of which cause significant discomfort. Even the mechanisms of development of such a pathology are not yet fully defined. Of no small importance is the genetic predisposition and imperfection of the endocrine system in childhood. In addition, children are much more susceptible to external factors than adults. Doctors identify the following causes of abdominal migraine in children:
- the presence of anomalies in the development of blood vessels;
- hormonal disorders;
- worsening of the course of metabolic processes;
- insufficient blood circulation;
- low blood glucose;
- malnutrition;
- irrational physical activity;
- emotional overstrain and stress.
A large influence is exerted by a TV or computer, since if a child spends a lot of time in front of the screen, then the likelihood of frequent headaches increases significantly. Particular influence is exerted by negative external influences, in particular, such as flickering light, too loud sound, monotonous hum.
If symptoms of migraine appear in children under 10 years old, then in adolescence this unpleasant disease can completely disappear after hormonal changes in the body. In some cases, seizures become very rare, and their symptoms are insignificant. Sometimes the disease can persist throughout life and gradually begins to fade away only in adulthood.
Main symptoms
Most often, the first symptoms of migraine appear in children under 12 years old and are mainly susceptible to this disease in children aged 5-9 years. Signs of the course of the disease may not be sufficiently pronounced and, in addition, the kids still can not say for sure what exactly bothers them. This makes diagnosis very difficult.
Among the symptoms of migraine in children, it is necessary to note the presence of a headache, which mainly occurs in the frontotemporal. Strong painful sensations have a significant impact on the well-being and behavior of the child. Children become moody and cry for no reason or, conversely, can become lethargic and uncommunicative.
Basically, the disease proceeds without an aura, that is, without visual symptoms, which manifests itself in the form of bright spots in front of the eyes, flickering light or just fog. The periods between seizures can be quite long, up to several months, so parents often perceive the manifestation of the disease simply as the whims of their child.
It is very important to recognize the first signs and symptoms of migraine in children, as this guarantees a quicker and easier treatment. Among the manifestations of the disease, intolerance to pungent odors, emotional overexcitation, irritation in bright light should also be noted.
It is worth noting that a child suffering from an attack of abdominal migraine should be at rest all the time, so parents need to monitor the strict implementation of this rule and create a comfortable environment for him. This type of pain is characterized by periodicity. Attacks are repeated after a certain time, and between them the child feels quite normal.
Migraine in adolescents
Symptoms of migraine in children 14 years old are much more common than in babies. This is due to hormonal changes in the body, resulting in various kinds of stress loads. The reason for the occurrence of such a pathology is mainly overloaded with learning, which is often observed in schools. It is worth noting that the symptoms of migraine in children 16 years old are mainly found in girls, which is due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background in women.
The causes of this violation are very similar to adults. A growing and developing child’s body is gradually adapting to various external and internal factors, which is why significant stresses on the nervous and endocrine system are noted during this period. And this, in turn, determines the development of the disease.
Diagnostics
If you experience the first symptoms of migraine in children under 10 years old and at an older age, you should definitely consult a doctor for diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Initially, you need to distinguish the disease from various kinds of problems with the gastric system, as well as other organs.
Particular attention during the diagnosis is given to the genitourinary system of the body. For an accurate diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the existing symptoms. For this disease, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- headache;
- pallor of the skin;
- photophobia;
- nausea;
- excessive sweating;
- abdominal pain.
In addition, the doctor examines the family history and finds out if any of the relatives had migraine attacks. This is very important, since the disease is mainly hereditary. In this case, it is much more difficult to treat. If migraine is abdominal in nature, then the seizures occur periodically, only a few times a year, and the rest of the time the child's well-being is quite satisfactory.
If the child often suffers from migraine attacks, it is necessary to keep a journal in which the duration of the attack, the symptoms of the aura, as well as all the events that preceded the occurrence of discomfort, are recorded. In addition, the following diagnostic measures may be required:
- dopplerography of the brain;
- encephalography;
- radiography;
- tomography.
Only after a comprehensive examination, the doctor can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
How to relieve an attack
To improve the well-being of the child and relieve severe pain, it is recommended to put him to bed. The room should preferably be well ventilated to provide fresh air. The child needs to create a calm and comfortable atmosphere. A cool compress is recommended on the forehead.
A light massage of the temporal and occipital parts of the head will help to cope with painful sensations. The movements performed should be as relaxing as possible. During a severe attack, vomiting can alleviate the condition of the child. However, if there is nausea, but there is no vomiting, you can call it yourself by letting the child drink boiled, slightly salted water.
Treatment features
This disease has a course completely uncharacteristic of ordinary migraine, which often makes it difficult to make a correct diagnosis. The main problem of timely treatment is that children only complain of pain in the abdomen, and as a result, they are treated for completely different diseases.
When the characteristic symptoms of migraine in children appear, the treatment should be carried out by a neurologist who prescribes the appropriate medications and other therapies. What kind of treatment method to choose, the doctor determines after a comprehensive diagnosis. Be sure to follow a special diet and exclude harmful foods, caffeinated and carbonated drinks from your usual diet. Migraine can trigger spices, which is why they also need to be excluded.
During the day, the child’s stomach should not be allowed to be empty, but care should be taken to ensure that he does not overeat. You need to consume food in small portions several times a day. It is necessary to avoid stressful situations in every possible way, the educational process should be combined with walks in the fresh air and games. Sports are appropriate, but only in moderation, and the child himself must choose what exactly he wants to do. It is necessary to try to minimize the child’s stay at the computer, as it is proved that computer games reduce vision and lead to migraines.
During an exacerbation of an attack, it is necessary to limit the effect of irritating factors, especially harsh sounds and smells, as well as bright light. The doctor selects all the drugs for the treatment of migraine in children individually and controls their dosage. Despite the fact that over time the symptoms of the disease decrease, it is necessary to undergo periodic examinations by a doctor. Sanatorium-resort treatment will be very useful, especially in case of a bad environmental situation.
Drug therapy
To quickly and effectively eliminate the symptoms of abdominal migraine in children, treatment is carried out with the help of drug therapy. Medications help to ease the well-being of the child, as well as reduce the frequency of attacks and their intensity. The treatment regimen is compiled by a neurologist taking into account the age of the patient, the characteristics of the symptoms, as well as provoking factors. To eliminate the symptoms of abdominal migraine in children, treatment involves the use of drugs such as:
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- painkillers with sedative effect;
- anti-migraine;
- according to indications - antiemetic.
It is worth noting that anti-migraine drugs are used only if other drugs do not bring the desired result. Ergotamines and triptans in childhood are not prescribed, since they have a pronounced negative effect on the children's body. Their use is carried out in extreme cases and only under the supervision of a physician.
To eliminate the symptoms of migraine in children, treatment must necessarily be comprehensive. Drugs based on ibuprofen and paracetamol, in particular such as Panadol, Nurofen, will help cope with pain. Caffeine-based products, such as Askofen and antihistamines (Cetrin), can sometimes help.
To achieve a more positive result, sedatives are prescribed, such as Sedafiton, Novo-Passit and antidepressants (Deprim). Throughout the entire period of therapy, vitamin complexes are required to help normalize well-being and prevent the frequent development of relapses.
If the first symptoms of migraine in children occur, treatment must be carried out immediately, since the course of the course of the disease, as well as the likelihood of complications, largely depend on this.
Forecast
While the child is growing up, the frequency with which attacks of the disease occur should be reduced. Approximately one third of children with age completely forget about the existing problem, and migraines recede forever. Forecasts are less favorable for girls than for boys. In some cases, the pain can go into the chronic stage, which manifests itself as paroxysmal pains in one part of the head, and also bears signs of autonomic disorders.
Effects
In some cases, the child has a severe course of the disease, when migraine attacks continue for several days. This condition is considered very dangerous, since the process of developing an attack becomes uncontrollable, and painkillers do not have any effect.
During a period of severe attack, the blood vessels of the brain are filled with excessive amounts of blood, expand, which can lead to oxygen deficiency of the brain and its swelling. In addition, a prolonged attack can lead to a migraine stroke. In this case, the symptomatology of the disease persists after the disappearance of the attack.
Prophylaxis
Attacks of abdominal migraine occur completely unexpectedly. So far, in medicine there is no way to prevent them. However, doctors recommend observing a number of rules, the knowledge of which helps to reduce the frequency of exacerbations and improve the quality of human life. Prevention of the disease includes such moments:
- maintaining the right lifestyle;
- normalization of the psychoemotional state;
- active leisure;
- conducting physiotherapy sessions;
- drug support of the body.
Be sure to exclude from life factors that cause stress and nervous disorders. It requires moderate physical activity, walks in the fresh air, trips to the sea.
To strengthen the vessels, therapeutic gymnastics, contrast shower, aromatherapy will be useful. It is also necessary to conduct periodically courses of vitamin therapy, apply funds whose action is aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease. Prevention is recommended even for those children who have never experienced signs of abdominal migraine.