Headaches in children, what are the causes and symptoms?

Headache is a common complaint in children. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, children who experience headaches are usually not because of serious things. Even so, headaches can also be caused by migraines or other diseases such as brain tumors or meningitis. Consider first the causes, symptoms, and ways to deal with headaches in children below.

Causes of headaches in children

Headaches can occur in all parts of the head or only focus on one area of ​​the head. Pain can also occur once or repeatedly.

Well, there are many possible causes of headaches in children. Your child often has headaches that may be due to lack of sleep, lack of food and water, or because they have an infection in the ear or throat - such as a cold or sinusitis.

1. Migraine

Migraines that occur in children may start early and cause headaches. It is estimated that nearly 20 percent of adolescents experience migraine-type headaches with an average age of 7 years for boys and 10 years for girls.

Keep in mind that every child may experience different factors. One of them is a family history.

2. Tension headaches

Tension headaches or tension headache is the most common type of headache. The thing that triggers this type of headache in children is physical activity that is too tiring, to stress or emotional conflict.

3. Headache next door

One-sided headaches or cluster headaches usually start in children over 10 years of age and are more common in boys.

This type of headache usually occurs at a certain time and can last a long time. Not only that, the headaches can also come back every year or two years.

4. No breakfast or lunch

Children should have breakfast every day. Not only to meet the nutrients in the morning before doing activities, but also to prevent headaches. Lunch is the same.

If you rarely have breakfast and lunch, you are prone to experiencing headaches. As a result, children become weak throughout the day and cannot freely play with their peers.

The content of nitrates (a type of food preservative) in meat and sausages can also cause headaches in children. Some foods or drinks that contain caffeine such as soda, chocolate, coffee, and tea can also have a similar effect.

5. Dehydration

Dehydration due to lack of drinking or excessive exercise can make you prone to headaches. When dehydrated, the brain is deprived of oxygen and results in excessive pressure on the head, causing pain.

Therefore, always provide your little one with a drinking water bottle so that he doesn't get dehydrated at school. That way, children will also be healthier and avoid the risk of headaches.

6. Stress

If your child complains of a headache when he comes home from school, try asking him how he is doing at school. It could be that your little one has just been scolded by the teacher or had a fight with his peers that caused stress.

Yes, stress can be one of the causes of headaches in children. Children with depression also often complain of headaches, especially if they are sad or lonely.

7. Infections

Colds, flu, ear and sinus infections are some of the most common causes of headaches in children.

However, if it is accompanied by fever and a stiff sensation in the neck, this can be a sign of a more serious infection such as meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

8. Head injury

A lump or bruise on the head can cause headaches. Even if most head injuries are minor, take your little one to the doctor if they have recently fallen or been hit hard to the head. This aims to avoid the risk of bleeding in the child's head.

9. Tumors on the head

In rare cases, a tumor or bleeding in the brain can cause chronic headaches, and this can happen in children.

Even so, headaches that lead to tumors do not stand alone, because they are usually followed by other symptoms, such as visual disturbances and a sensation of dizziness for days.

10. Other factors

Apart from the causes above, there are also other factors that make children prone to experiencing headaches, including:

• Genetic factors. Migraine headaches can pass on to your child.
• Food and Drink. Food preservatives and artificial sweeteners can also trigger headaches.

How to deal with headaches in children

There are several ways you can do when your child experiences headaches. However, it's also a good idea to know what special treatments your doctor recommends, such as:

• Take headache medications that are safe for children, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
• Rest in a quiet place with a fairly dark atmosphere.
• Avoiding headache triggers such as food, drink, or lack of sleep.
• Stretch and exercise regularly.
• Ask the child to drink lots of water.

When should you take your child to the doctor if he complains of headaches?

Symptoms that may appear in people who experience headaches can vary. Generally, different types of pain have different symptoms.

Usually headaches are harmless and can resolve on their own over time. However, some cases can be a sign of a more serious illness in children.

Therefore, there are a number of symptoms that you can use as a benchmark for seeing a doctor. Contact your doctor immediately if your little one experiences headaches followed by the following conditions:

1. Headache accompanied by fever and stiff neck

If when sick it causes your child to be unable to tilt his neck up or lower him down, or he cannot shake and turn his head, you must immediately take him to the nearest hospital.

Headaches in children with fever and neck feet can be a sign of meningitis. Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain that can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection.

Infants and children are particularly susceptible to meningitis because their immune systems are not as capable of fighting infection as adults.

2. Headaches do not stop even after taking medication

Headaches will generally subside after taking pain medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, and rest. However, if the complaints still appear after that, especially if it gets worse, you should take the child to the doctor.

Especially if the pain is accompanied by other symptoms, such as weakness, or blurred vision, and other conditions that interfere with the child's activities.

3. Headache accompanied by vomiting

If the headache is accompanied by frequent vomiting but no other symptoms, such as diarrhea, this may be due to increased pressure in the brain (intracranial pressure). Especially if the pain is getting worse than ever.

Immediately take the child to the doctor if you experience this condition.

4. When a headache wakes the child from sleep

When a headache feels so bad that your little one wakes up from sleep, this is probably a sign that it is caused by a serious illness that must be treated immediately.

Headaches can also get worse when coughing, sneezing, or massaging their heads. In addition, it may also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting whenever you experience a headache.

5. When headaches often occur many times

If the child experiences it often (more than twice a week) or the illness makes it difficult for them to do their usual activities, you should consult a doctor about your child's condition.

What will the doctor do?

The doctor will first find out the cause by performing a variety of basic physical examinations. The doctor may also ask your child and you about the following:

• Since when did headaches occur?
• Where does it hurt?
• How long has the pain been feeling?
• Have you had an accident or trauma to the head?
• Did this headache change his sleep patterns?
• Are there certain body positions that make your head hurt more?
• Are there any emotional or psychological signs that have changed?

If further examination is needed, the doctor will perform an MRI or CT scan on the child's head. MRI is used to see the condition of the blood vessels leading to the brain.

CT scans help look for the presence of tumors or see abnormal nerve conditions in the head, or to see if any abnormal conditions are present in the child's brain.

Treatment of headaches will depend on the cause that triggered it. If all the test results are negative, the doctor will usually give you medicine that can be taken at home to relieve headaches.

If any of the test results are suspicious, the doctor can recommend a further treatment plan according to the cause of the headache in the child.

x