Dorothy FarrarMigraines in children
Migraines in children can occur at any age, with or without an aura. Many adult migraine sufferers had their first experience of headaches in childhood.
What are migraines in children?
Migraines in children are real migraine headaches in the forms with and without aura that already affect children. Children are broadly defined as children and young people under the age of 18, but in the narrower sense children of kindergarten and primary school age are meant. The first migraine headaches appear in many patients in childhood or early adolescence and keep coming back at more or less frequent intervals. Migraines in children suggest that the problem will persist throughout life.
causes
The causes of migraines have not yet been medically clarified. What is certain is that it is a neurological disease and a type of headache. Modern medicine also knows that migraines can be triggered by triggers that vary from person to person. Stress , certain foods or tension in the spine are just a few of the many triggers that can trigger migraines in children.
Although migraines without aura are very unpleasant, migraines with aura can be dangerous. It is followed by short-term neurological disorders such as double vision, speech and movement disorders and can be confused with strokes . Even with migraines in children, processes in the brain are not far removed from a stroke, since the affected areas of the brain have reduced blood flow during the migraine.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of migraines in children:
- noise sensitivity
The first migraine in children can be very distressing for parents and especially for the affected child. Symptoms and course are similar to those of adults. The child develops severe headaches immediately or later, can be sensitive to light and noise and suddenly become very tired. Nausea and vomiting, nervousness and anxiety are added, especially with migraines in children.
Tingling in the limbs, blurred or otherwise disturbed vision, temporary paralysis in all parts of the body, difficulty expressing yourself and movement disorders are more common in migraine with aura. These first severe symptoms disappear hours later at the latest, the headache and sensitivity as well as the tiredness in children can persist for up to 72 hours. Just like in adults, migraines in children go away on their own over time.
Diagnose
If migraines are suspected in children, a headache diary is kept as in adults. In this, the parents document the occurrence and symptoms of the headache. Based on this, the neurologist can deduce whether this is related to the migraine and whether drug treatment is necessary. Furthermore, an EEG can provide information – all the more so if the parents can take their child to a neurologist immediately if they have migraines. Imaging methods such as CT and MRI can be used for differential diagnosis . These usually serve to rule out brain tumors , which can occur relatively frequently in children and cause symptoms similar to migraines in children.
treatment and therapy
Migraines in children cannot be definitively cured and can only be treated symptomatically. Since children should not yet be given highly effective painkillers , the neurologist first weighs up which medications are suitable. Fortunately, migraines in children are rare in most cases, so that a single medication can be given for the individual case.
In childhood, lighter painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol are often sufficient , but freely available combination preparations may not be given to children without prior consultation. Migraine medications such as Novaminsulfon or tryptophan are only given to children with migraines in extreme emergencies. The primary focus of treating a child for migraines is identifying the triggers that produce the headache. These must be avoided so that migraines do not occur unnecessarily often in later adulthood.
During a migraine, the affected child absolutely needs to rest in a dark room, since the migraine puts a great strain on the body and this should not be underestimated – especially in the child.
prevention
As with adults, migraines in children cannot always be prevented. If the headache is triggered, it will come and there is only symptomatic treatment. The earlier the painkiller is taken, if prescribed, the faster the first, particularly unpleasant symptoms of migraine in the child can pass. After that, the affected child needs a lot of rest and sleep in a darkened room to recover.
To prevent migraines, the headache diary should be kept diligently to identify behaviors, situations, and triggers that may have triggered the migraine. If it is possible to avoid these, migraines can occur less frequently in the child.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.