What is it about ?
Headaches or “cephalgias” that occasionally occur in children do not require additional examinations or treatment. But if the child complains of frequent headaches, more attention should be paid. The main causes of headaches are migraine and tension headache. Psychological problems, eye problems, tooth problems, sinusitis, etc. are also all factors that can cause headaches.
How to recognize them?
Migraine
Migraine often begins at a young age and increases in intensity until the onset of puberty. It can be hereditary. During a seizure, the child has a headache, feels ill, and will prefer to stay in a dark, quiet room. The child no longer complains once the crisis has passed.
If the child begins to complain just before the seizure (for example problems seeing well, speaking, feeling tingling, paralysis), we speak of an aura. These complaints disappear after the onset of the headache. Migraine normally causes no more than two attacks per week. Daily attacks are not characteristic of migraine.
Tension headache
Tension headache occurs after increased tension in the muscles of the neck and is linked to mental or physical stress. The pain is latent and occurs in the afternoon or evening after school. It eases with rest and relaxation. The complaints sometimes resemble a migraine. Seizures rarely occur on weekends or days off.
Psychogenic headache
Psychogenic headache occurs in the presence of long-standing psychological problems such as fear of school, depression, and insomnia. These are vague headaches that have no effect on the child’s normal course of activities, but are still present every day.
Other causes of headaches
- Eye Problems: Poor eyesight and squinting (squinting) can trigger headaches in the front of the head that go away when the child wears suitable glasses.
- Teeth problems: for example due to wearing an appliance. These headaches disappear as soon as the device is removed.
- Sinusitis: Headaches from inflamed sinuses often occur on the cheeks and above the eyes, but can also be generalized.
- Tumors in the brain and high pressure in the brain: High pressure in the brain can cause headaches and vomiting, especially in the morning. Balance disorders as well as strabismus are also possible. The complaints increase in intensity gradually or more rapidly depending on the speed of onset of the overpressure. There is sometimes an overpressure without tumor. In this case, it is impossible to know the cause of the problem.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will ask questions about the nature of the complaints, the family situation, sleep patterns, family history, medications taken, etc. Then, he will perform a detailed neurological and clinical examination. After the discussion and the examination, he will decide on the other examinations that they will still have to do (scanner, blood test, consultation with the ophthalmologist or dentist, etc.).
What can you do ?
You can always start by keeping a headache diary for your child: when does he have a headache? What are the possible triggers?
Make sure your child gets enough movement and has a regular lifestyle (enough sleep, balanced meals, limited stress).
What can your doctor do?
Treatment depends on the cause of the headache.
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