Hello Dear,
Children get headaches for many of the same reasons adults get headaches. But, most headaches in children are usually due to an illness, infection, cold or fever. Other conditions that can cause headaches include sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), pharyngitis (inflammation or infection of the throat) or otitis (ear infection).Was there any head injury?
The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they are related to changes in the brain as well as to genetic causes
Most children and adolescents (90%) who have migraines have other family members with migraines.
Some migraine triggers can be identified such as Stress, anxiety, depression, a change in routine or sleep pattern, bright light, loud noises or certain foods, food additives and beverages. Too much physical activity or too much sun can trigger a migraine in some children or adolescents.
Common causes of tension headaches include striving for academic excellence as well as emotional stress related to family, school or friends. Other causes of tension headaches include eyestrain and neck or back strain due to poor posture. Depression may also be a reason your child is having headaches.
When tension headaches worsen over time and occur along with other neurological symptoms such as loss of vision, or speech problems or muscle weakeness, they can be the sign of a more serious problem, such as:
headache evaluation may include a CT scan or MRI if a structural disorder of the central nervous system is suspected. Both of these tests produce cross-sectional images of the brain that can reveal abnormal areas or problems.
Children should be referred to a pediatric neurologist,
The proper treatment will depend on several factors, including the type and frequency of the headache, its cause and the age of the child.
Headache education: includes identifying and recording what triggers your child's headache, such as lack of sleep, not eating at regular times, eating certain foods or additives, caffeine, environment or stress. Helping your child keep a headache diary can help you and your child record this information. Avoiding headache triggers is an important step in successfully treating the headaches.
Stress management: to successfully treat tension headaches, it is important for kids and their parents to identify what causes or triggers the headaches. Then they can learn ways to cope or remove the stressful activities or events.
Refer http://www.medicinenet.com/headaches_in_children/page2.htm
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