Many people think that headaches are an exclusively adult problem. In reality, headaches are quite common in children. Any significant headache in a child warrants a much more serious evaluation compared to adults. Here in detail, we will discuss about “Headaches in Children“.
The main problem in young children is their inability to articulate the exact nature of the headache and associated symptoms. A toddler who is cranky, irritable, prefers the dark and often rubs the eyes or head is likely to be suffering from a headache. Older children are usually able to describe their symptoms.
Causes of headaches in children
Do you know that migraine is the most common cause of frequent headaches in children? Migraine in adults has received more than its fair share of publicity, but very few parents are aware of its existence in children.
Tension headache also called stress headache or psychogenic headache is another common cause.
Illnesses such as the flu, colds, throat infections, sinusitis, ear infections, eye problems (e.g., refractive errors and squint), dental problems, or depression are comparatively rare causes.
In children, there is a high possibility of organic headaches. These headaches are caused by some serious underlying disorders, often directly linked to the brain.
Types of Headaches
Tension Headaches
These headaches are caused by an involuntary tightening of the muscles of the jaw, the forehead, and the back in response to stress and anxiety related to studies, family, or friends. They typically occur in older, school-going children. The headaches are neither throbbing nor associated with nausea or vomiting. They are not worsened by exertion. A common description is a feeling of a tight constricting band around the forehead or sometimes the top or the back of the head. A waxing and waning pattern is common in these headaches.
Reassurance, removal of the cause of stress, and analgesics are enough to manage most cases of tension headaches. Sedatives and anti-depressants are rarely required.
Organic Headaches
Headaches can sometimes be caused by serious underlying conditions, often directly linked to the brain or associated with an abnormal rise in intracranial pressure (the pressure in the skull cavity). Some of these conditions are brain tumors; brain infections; hydrocephalus (abnormal enlargement of brain cavities); internal bleeding, blood clots, or malformed blood vessels in the brain; high blood pressure and pseudotumor cerebri (a condition of raised intracranial pressure due to various causes).
Organic headaches are dull, diffuse, generalized, worse in the early morning, and worsened by coughing, sneezing, and straining for stools but improved on standing. They are often associated with early morning vomiting but usually without any nausea. Vomiting often relieves the pain. Treatment obviously is directed towards correcting the causative disorder.