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Migraine Headaches In Kids A Summary of Causes, Signs And Treatment

Migraine Headaches occur surprisingly frequently among children. They typically report a throbbing, severe pain. It is believed that as many as 5% to 25% of children have periodic migraines. They usually complain of a pulsing, excruciating pain. The hurting can last as long as 2 to 48 hours. Migraines in kids may be classified broadly as common migraines and classic migraines.

Subcategories Of Migraine Headaches

Subcategories of migraines are termed Retinal Migraine, Variant Migraines, Basilar Migraine, Acute Confusional Migraine, and Acephalic Migraine of Childhood.

Stages Of Migraines In Kids

There are four phases of migraine: the prodrome, the aura, the pain, and the postdrome phases.

Prodrome: This phase is when classic symptoms of the migraine begin, usually several hours in advance of onset of a migraine headache and perhaps even 48 hours in advance. The child complains of alterations occur in their dietary pattern, light and sound sensitivity, and they may feel drained, are down and cross.

Aura: This stage is seen only in classic migraine sufferers. The child complains of seeing auras, which can be positive or negative auras. An aura is experienced as seeing shimmering lights, shapes, and zigzag lines, called a positive aura or as having dark holes, blind spots, tunnel vision, called a negative aura. Some children may experience a combination of both aura types. The aura usually occurs half an hour before a migraine headache and lasts for about 10 to 30 minutes. During the aura phase, the child may also have trouble speaking, feel tingling in their hands and legs, have loss of focus, amnesia, dizziness, loss of coordination and may feel confused.

Pain: The child suffers agonizing pain and may look pale and vomit during an attack. They could have pulsing on one half of the head, in the brow, or over their whole head during this stage. The pain seems to intensify with movement. Their face prickles and they may feel numb, complain of feeling cold, have quesiness, and are unusually photo-and phonosensitive. Anorexia, excessive perspiring, loose stools/constipation, vomiting, aversion to smells, and loss of coordination are other common complaints.

Postdrome: The pain and other symptoms subside leaving the child feeling feeble, listless, and exhausted, often for as long as 2 days.

Triggers Of Migranes In Children:

There are many theories such as the vascular theory, gene mutations, sterile inflammation process, mitochondrial dysfunctions, changes in levels of serotonin, nitrous oxide, and cortical-spreading depression.

Certain other things that can trigger migraines in kids are intense smells, changes in their altitude changes, changing their sleep cycles, loud noises, strong bright lights, and fasting, vigorous physical activities.

Certain foods, too, can bring on migraine headaches in kids such as canned, aged, or processed foods, cheese, aspartame, caffeine, chocolates, marinated and pickled foods, and those including MSG (mono sodium glutamate).

Helping Your Child Through A Migraine Headache Attack

The child can rest in a cool, dark room that is as noise-free as possible. A wet cloth or an ice pack can be used, too. Make sure that the child recognizes the symptoms and takes medications that are prescribed by the doctor.

Therapy

Parents can help by seeing to it that the child sleeps well, eats a healthy diet, exercises regularly and watches out for known triggers, such as any foods that may cause an attack. Click here for more information on common migraine food triggers.

Doctors usually prescribe prophylactic medicines including amitriptyline and propranolol, which many parents do not like because of the possibility for rebound headaches.

Herbs such as feverfew, butter root, ginger, gingko and valerian root juices, and ginger tea are said to be helpful. Exercise, meditation, nutritional supplements like vitamin B2, biofeedback therapy, yoga, relaxation therapy and aromatherapy are said to be effective in reducing occurrences of migraines in children by 50%.

If parents and child learn the symptoms and learn to identify triggers, they can reduce the occurrence of migraines in half or more.