Elevate Your Health Colorado Migraines in Kids: More than a bad headache?

If you’re one of many who think migraines are an adult condition, consider this: half of all migraine sufferers have their first attack before age 12. In fact, migraines affect about 2 percent of kids by age 7; up to 10 percent by age 15; and up to 25 percent of older teenagers.

“I probably see a child with migraine headaches at least once per week,” says Alison Yager, MD, a board-certified pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “When episodes prevent kids from taking part in activities or learning at school, parents need to seek treatment that will help their kids cope.”

Know the signs

Migraines tends to run in families, and can be characterized by severe, disabling headache pain. Migraines in kids and adolescents can last from 30 minutes to three days, and are often accompanied by distinctive symptoms:

• Pounding or throbbing pain in the front or both sides of the head
• Sensitivity to sound and light
• Presence of aura before the headache in minority of patients
• Irritability
• Nausea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain
   

“Kids don’t always display the classic headache pain that shows up with an adult migraine,” says Dr. Yager, who also serves as Kaiser Permanente’s pediatric neurology liaison in Denver. “Occasionally, kids will have variant migraine patterns that involve vertigo, cyclic vomiting or abdominal pain instead of headache.”

A pediatrician can work with a neurologist to diagnose your child’s migraines based on symptoms, a complete neurological exam, and family history, Dr. Yager says.

Treating and preventing migraines

A dose of Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can sometimes help stop a migraine from evolving. Daily preventative drug therapy is also an option for more debilitating cases.

“If your child is missing one or more days of school per month because they are having frequent headaches, talk to your pediatrician about daily medications that can help prevent migraines,” Dr. Yager says. For example, certain antihistamines in young children or anti-seizure medications in teens can often treat severe cases.

Help your kid cope

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, about 60 percent of people who had migraines in adolescence report ongoing migraines after age 30. Although kids can outgrow the condition, Dr. Yager says developing coping mechanisms at a young age can greatly improve quality of life for migraine sufferers. Here’s how:

Identify migraine triggers. Sleep patterns, skipped meals, stressors at home and school, and environmental factors can lead to migraines. Keep a headache diary to record the specifics of an episode and what might have triggered the headache.

Avoid certain foods. Excessive caffeine, and foods with MSG, nitrates, or tyramines, which are found in cured meats and pickled or marinated foods, are known to set off migraines in some kids. Stick with lean unproccessed meats, fruits and veggies and low-fat dairy at mealtime.

Practice relaxation techniques. Help your child find healthy ways to deal with stress. Migraines are most common during or right after stressful times. Practicing deep breathing, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or listening to calming music can help kids prevent and deal with stressful situations.

Get adequate sleep. Getting up early for school and long nights studying can trigger migraines. Set a bedtime that allows your kid at least eight hours of sleep. And remember, sleep can also be therapeutic after a migraine attack.

Find more strategies to help your child cope with migraines at kp.org.