Does your child constantly complain about headaches? Your child doesn't have to suffer with unexplained pain. From occasional aches to chronic issues, the first step towards treatment is a doctor's diagnosis. If you're not sure how to help your child, take a look at the questions you need to ask right now.
Does Your Child Have Other Symptoms?
There are more than a few causes of headaches. Other symptoms that accompany the ache are often the key to unlocking this painful mystery. These other physical issues may not seem related to the actual headache, but they often provide valuable clues for a diagnosis. Non-headache symptoms to look for include:
- Nausea or vomiting. This is a common symptom migraine sufferers experience.
- Sore throat. A sore throat may indicate a viral headache cause, such as a cold or the flu.
- Muscle aches. Achy muscles (especially when combined with a sore throat and fever) may point to the flu.
- Nasal drainage or stuffy nose. Does your child have a headache with a stuffy or runny nose? They may have a sinus infection or a cold.
- Stress or anxiety. Your child's mental health affects their physical well-being. Stress or anxiety about school, friends, or anything else can cause headaches.
Note your child's additional symptoms. A full list can help the medical provider to accurately diagnose your child and decide on a course of treatment.
Where Is the Pain?
If your child's pain is consistently in the same area or has a noticeable location, it may indicate:
- A migraine. Migraines may come with one-sided head pain.
- A sinus infection. Pain under or directly above the eyes may come from clogged or infected sinuses.
- A tension headache. This type of headache may include pain on both sides of the head and in the neck.
A diffuse headache with no specific or known location could come from stress, eye strain, illness, high blood pressure, or many other causes. If your child can't pinpoint the location of the pain, the medical provider will use other symptoms or questions to evaluate the issue.
What Happens Before the Headache Starts?
If you're not sure what causes the headache, your child may need to keep track of what happens directly before it starts. A headache diary is an easy way for children and parents to chart potential causes, note additional symptoms, or look for patterns.
Your child's headache diary or log should include:
- The date. This helps the doctor to determine how often your child has headaches or if the pain happens at a specific time of the month/year.
- The time. Get specific and note the time when your child first notices the symptoms. This requires your child to alert you of the headache (or write it down themselves, depending on their age) immediately after onset.
- Pre-headache activities. List all activities, such as sports play or computer use, that your child engages in before or on the day of the headache.
- Pre-headache diet. What did your child eat or drink before the headache? Some foods/beverages can trigger migraines.
- Pre-headache symptoms. Did your child experience other symptoms, such as flashes of light or nausea, before the headache?
Along with pre-headache symptoms, your child can include specifics about the pain (such as location or duration) and what helped to alleviate it. Bring the complete diary or log to the doctor's office with you. The medical provider will need to review this valuable piece of the headache puzzle to make an accurate diagnosis.
Does your child have unexplained headaches that get in the way of school, play, or daily life? Contact Valley Pediatric Clinic for more information.