$Unique_ID{PAR00092}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Headaches}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Headaches head Pain ache throbbing aspirin acetaminophen cold
compresses forehead severe headache fever weakness collapse vomiting stiff
neck confusion anxiety fear excitement sadness worry high blood pressure head
injuries concussions tumors brain inflammation meningitis encephalitis skull
bleeding sinusitis eyestrain psychiatric Migraine Migraines nausea vomiting
aura light flashes double vision sweat pale flushed pounding heart pounds
pulse throbs Sinusitis congested neurologic nervous system examination
ergotamine neurologist allergist ear nose throat specialist psychiatrist}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Headaches


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOM
     - Pain, ache, or throbbing in any area of the head

     HOME CARE
     - Give aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve pain.
     - Apply cold compresses to the forehead.
     - Have the child lie down in a darkened room.
     - If the headache is accompanied by nasal congestion, antihistamines or
       nose drops may ease both conditions.  Warm compresses may also help.
     - Try to identify any source of stress that may be causing the headache.
       Comfort and cuddle the child whose headache may be due to emotional
       factors.
     - See the doctor if headaches persist.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Get medical help immediately if the child has a sudden, severe
       headache, especially if it is accompanied by any of the following:
       fever, extreme weakness or collapse, severe vomiting, stiff neck, or
       confusion.
     - If the child has recurring headaches that become more frequent or
       severe, consult your doctor.
     - Your information about the child's headaches will be important to the
       doctor.  Note where the pain is located, when it occurs, what
       circumstances seem to provoke it, how long it lasts, if there are other
       symptoms, and whether the headache responds to pain-relieving
       medication.


     Headaches are probably as common in children as in adults and have as
many different causes.  Fever and strong emotions (anxiety, fear, excitement,
sadness, and worry) probably account for about 95 percent of all headaches in
children.  Less common causes of childhood headaches are high blood pressure,
head injuries and concussions, tumors and inflammation of the brain (such as
meningitis and encephalitis), bleeding inside the skull, sinusitis, eye
strain, and psychiatric problems.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Pain, ache, and throbbing in any area of the head are obvious signs
of a headache.  The type of headache experienced depends somewhat on
the cause.  Some clues to the cause are the location of the pain, how
long the pain lasts, the time of day at which it occurs, the circumstances
leading to the pain, other accompanying symptoms, and the
effect medications have on the pain.  In general, a headache is not
serious if it can be relieved by aspirin or acetaminophen, rest, or comforting
attention to the child.

     Migraine

     A child that has migraine headaches usually has a strong family history
of the condition.  A migraine headache is often on one side of the head.  It
is generally accompanied by nausea and vomiting ("sick headache").  Sometimes
it is preceded by an aura (seeing light flashes or having double vision).  A
migraine lasts for hours and usually cannot be relieved by aspirin or
acetaminophen.

     High blood pressure

     A throbbing pain occurs with a headache caused by high blood pressure.
The child may sweat and turn pale or become flushed.  The heart pounds, and
the pulse throbs.  Aspirin or acetaminophen does not relieve this type of
headache.

     Concussion

     A headache caused by concussion follows an injury to the head.

     Tumors, infections, or bleeding within the head

     Headaches associated with these conditions gradually become more severe
and more frequent.  The child starts to vomit and to show other signs of
disorders of the nervous system, such as a stiff neck, vision problems,
confusion, loss of balance, and sometimes fever.

     Sinusitis

     When headache is caused by sinusitis, the nose is congested or runny.

     Eye strain

     A headache from eye strain usually follows reading or watching
television.

     Psychiatric problems

     Behavior problems occur along with a headache that is caused by
psychiatric problems.  The headache is frequently at the top of the head, or
it may affect the entire head, which is unusual with other forms of headache.

HOME CARE

     Try aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve the pain.  Cold compresses on the
forehead may offer relief.  If the child has nasal congestion, warm compresses
on the forehead, antihistamines, or nose drops may help both the congestion
and the headache.  Have the child lie down in a darkened room.  Comforting and
cuddling the child often helps, since many headaches have an emotional basis.
Do whatever you can to remove stress.  If the headache persists, see your
doctor.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Sudden, severe headache may be a true emergency--especially if the child
     also has fever, extreme weakness or collapse, violent vomiting,
     disorientation (confusion), vision problems, or a stiff neck.  Get
     medical help immediately.  Repeated headaches that become more frequent
     and severe may be serious.  See your doctor.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     Your doctor will perform a complete physical examination on your child,
including measuring the blood pressure and examining the eyes, as well as a
neurologic (nervous system) examination.  Laboratory tests may be ordered.  To
discover if the headache is a migraine, your doctor may prescribe the drug
ergotamine for a trial period, since this drug relieves only migraine
headaches.
     The doctor may have you consult a neurologist (a specialist in disorders
of the nervous system); an allergist; an ear, nose, and throat specialist; or
a psychiatrist.

RELATED TOPICS:  Concussion; Encephalitis; High blood pressure; Meningitis;
Sinusitis; Vision problems