Headaches in Children

Headaches are a common cause of childhood pain. And, just like headaches in adults, they can be caused by a wide variety of factors.

 Your child may have headaches due to:

• Not drinking enough water
• Stress
• Not getting enough sleep or not getting good sleep
• Not eating enough or missing important nutrients
• Family history of headaches

Types of Headaches

Your child will most likely not be able to tell you what type of headache they have. But based on the way they describe their headache or when it shows up, you might find out what type it is.

Tension headache 

These are the most common type of headache. Causes include stress, dehydration, or not getting enough sleep.

Children often describe tension headaches as:

• Dull pain
• Head hurts on both sides
• A band of pain around the head
• Pain in the back part of the head or neck
• Mild to moderate pain

Migraine

Migraines may start with or include an aura, a set of sensory symptoms. Migraine auras can include:

• Vision changes
• Hearing changes
  Smells
• Tastes
• Tingling or numbness
• Dizziness

While children’s migraines may cause similar symptoms to an adult’s, younger kids can get an abdominal migraine, causing periods of stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Migraine headaches can cause:

• Pain on one or both sides of the head

• Pain that may be throbbing or pounding
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Nausea and vomiting

Secondary Headaches

Parents may wonder if headaches signal the presence of a serious condition or disease. These kinds of headaches, called secondary headaches, occur very rarely. Symptoms to watch for include:

• Pain that wakes your child up
• Headaches that cause early-morning vomiting
• Pain that is made worse by coughing or sneezing
• Sudden onset of pain
• Headaches are growing more severe or continuous
• Personality changes
• Changes in vision
• Balance problems
• Seizures or epilepsy
• A very young child with a headache

Tracking Headaches

If you feel like your child's headaches are concerning, start headache tracking. Many families find that when they start to document what happened before or after a headache, they're able to discover avoidable triggers. Just like for adults, most of the time the solution to headaches is:

• Hydration
• Nutrition
• Sleep
• Reducing Stress
• Getting exercise

Treating a Child’s Headache

Rest and sleep usually provide headache relief for young children. But tracking and avoiding triggers is a great starting point for most.

Over-the-counter pain medications may also provide some help with pain. If your child is diagnosed with a condition, like migraines, your child's provider may prescribe specific medications.

Seek treatment if your child’s headaches increase in pain or frequency, or concerning symptoms develop.