Headache episodes are common in children and are generally not a sign of serious illness; however, they are painful and stressful. There are several solutions to help your child get rid of it, from home remedies to medications.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Medications
Step 1. Try an over-the-counter pain reliever
Many nonprescription and pharmacy pain medications can reduce the symptoms of childhood headache.
- Paracetamol (Tachipirina) or ibuprofen (Brufen, Moment) are very effective against headaches and are safe to administer to most babies over six months of age. If you prefer different medicines, ask your pediatrician or pharmacist for advice.
- Make sure you buy the pediatric version of any over-the-counter medicine; that for adults could prove dangerous.
- Pain relievers should usually be taken at the first sign of a headache. Follow the dosage instructions on the leaflet and make sure you never administer a dosage higher than that recommended based on the age of the child.
- Although over-the-counter medications can provide relief, they can trigger a rebound headache if overused. This means that the child may have a headache due to the medicine. These products also lose their effectiveness as they are taken.
Step 2. Get a prescription from your pediatrician
If headaches are recurring, you should ask your doctor to prescribe medications.
- Migraines are usually treated with prescription products; it is in fact a very intense and recurring type of headache. Triptans are generally recommended for children over six years of age, because they are very safe and have minimal side effects.
- Some types of chronic headaches, including migraines, are accompanied by nausea. The pediatrician may then recommend anti-emetic medicines.
- Discuss all the potential side effects of medications with your doctor and provide as much information as possible about the child's medical history.
Step 3. Use aspirin with caution
This anti-inflammatory is usually safe for children over the age of two. However, in rare cases, it can contribute to the development of Reye's syndrome and should never be given to small patients with certain risk factors. Most doctors recommend never giving aspirin to children.
- Reye's syndrome causes edema of the liver and brain, can lead to seizures and loss of consciousness. It is important to intervene promptly, because it is a rapidly evolving and fatal disease.
- If your baby's headache is caused by a viral infection, such as the flu or chickenpox, you shouldn't treat it with aspirin. In these cases, the risk of getting Reye's syndrome is greater.
- Even when the little patient suffers from a fatty acid oxidation disorder, he is more likely to get Reye's syndrome; in that case, you shouldn't give him aspirin.
Part 2 of 4: Home Remedies
Step 1. Use a cold pack
This simple remedy could relieve pain in the baby.
- Place a clean cloth under cold running water and then place it on the baby's forehead.
- Find something to entertain him, such as music or television, so he will lie down while holding the compress.
Step 2. Offer him a healthy snack
Headache is sometimes caused by hypoglycemia, so it may be helpful to give your baby a healthy snack when he starts complaining of pain.
- Some fruits and vegetables are known to reduce the symptoms of this disorder. Try giving the child a snack that contains spinach, watermelon, or cherries.
- Children also like peanut butter, which has been shown to be effective against headaches. Since milk also has the same effect, you can make a snack with peanut butter spread on crackers and a glass of milk.
Step 3. Try rest and relaxation techniques
Since headaches are often related to stress and insufficient sleep, you can help your baby by trying to relax him when the first symptoms appear.
- Encourage him to sleep in a cool, dark room. Sometimes the pain subsides with a nap.
- Relaxation techniques allow the little patient to loosen the tense muscles; consequently, the pain changes and the frequency of headaches is reduced. Make him lie down and calm him down, ask him to stretch all the muscles and then gradually relax the various parts of the body.
- You can also persuade him to take hot baths or showers to reduce stress.
- Make sure she takes breaks when engaging in activities that could trigger a headache, such as spending long periods in front of a computer monitor or TV.
Part 3 of 4: Knowing When to See Your Doctor
Step 1. Track the frequency of headache episodes
If you have the feeling that your baby often suffers from tense sore, you should make a note of it. This way, in case medical intervention is needed, you can provide a detailed list of symptoms.
- Try to roughly understand when the pain occurs, how long it lasts and what kind of pain it is.
- There are different types of headache and the treatments vary according to their characteristics. Clusters occur with active and remission phases and are accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Migraines are often associated with vomiting, abdominal pain, photophobia, and sensitivity to sound. Tension headaches often involve pain in the neck and shoulders. Write down any symptoms your child complains to understand what type of headache is afflicting him.
- Children, especially young ones, often have difficulty explaining their ailments. Ask him specific questions, so that he tells you exactly what the sore point is.
Step 2. Understand the connection between frequent headaches and mental health problems
Young patients often report headaches or other ailments when they are depressed, anxious, or have other psychological problems. In fact, children do not have a large enough vocabulary to describe what ails them and seek comfort by complaining of physical pain.
- True headache is easily identified in children. A little one who suffers from a real headache generally tends to remain quiet, sit or lie down. Light and noises disturb him and he may even show gastric symptoms such as nausea.
- If the child does not show typical headache symptoms but has frequent episodes, he may have some mental health problems. Discuss with the pediatrician, he should be able to talk to the child about emotional problems using a language that the child can understand and, if necessary, may recommend the intervention of a therapist.
Step 3. Learn what the troubling symptoms are
While headaches are not usually a symptom of serious illness, there are some signs you need to watch out for. Take your child to the emergency room if:
- The pain is so strong that it wakes him up while he sleeps;
- The child vomits in the morning, especially if there are no other symptoms;
- Shows personality changes;
- Headaches worsen and increase in frequency;
- The pain is after an injury;
- Headache is accompanied by neck stiffness.
Part 4 of 4: Prevention
Step 1. Give the baby plenty of water
Dehydration causes many symptoms, including frequent headaches. To prevent this from happening, you need to make sure your baby gets plenty of water throughout the day.
- A child should drink four 8-ounce glasses of water a day or more if they are physically active.
- Avoid sugary and caffeinated drinks. These not only prevent the baby from drinking plain water, but lead to dehydration. Intake of large amounts of sugar and caffeine is also related to headaches.
Step 2. Make sure you get enough sleep
Babies need a lot of rest, which is why an afternoon nap is so important in their daily routine. A lack of sleep leads to headaches.
- Depending on the age, the child needs a variable amount of sleep. 1-2 year olds and preschoolers should rest 11 to 13 hours per night. The older ones, ages 6 to 13, need 9-11 hours of sleep.
- Set a time for your child to go to bed, if you haven't already set one, and make sure they always go to bed at the same time.
Step 3. Provide a balanced diet at regular times
Sometimes, hunger can trigger a headache, so avoid spending too much time between meals.
- Glucose crashes associated with fasting can trigger headaches. Have the little one eat breakfast before school. Children are often stubborn and picky with school cafeteria meals and discard the foods they don't want. If your child has a tendency to skip lunch, make your own one to take from home; that way, you know for sure he will eat.
- Children often go through phases in which they do not want to eat, especially when they are 2-3 years old. By structuring a strict meal routine, forbidding distractions like television and toys during dinner and lunch, you can encourage your baby to eat. If you continue to have these problems, talk to your pediatrician to rule out any medical problems.
- Offer nutritious snacks between meals, such as fruit, whole wheat crackers, yogurt, and vegetables.
Step 4. Find out about the underlying causes of your child's headache
Among the municipalities we mention:
- Allergies;
- Sinusitis;
- Vision problems;
- If the baby also has a fever and sore throat, it could be a symptom of streptococcal pharyngitis;
- If you are concerned that the pain in your head is due to another illness, you should take your baby to the pediatrician.
