Headaches can become disabling and of course they are very annoyingThere are always those who say that otitis or odontalgia are unbearable, but who has suffered (or suffers from migraines), knows what it is like to have the feeling of not being able to control pain.
According to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, 'headache is a very frequent reason for pediatric age, both in primary care and emergency services (in the latter the percentage of consultations for this reason is between 1 and 2 %) '.
When a child shows a headache we must put ourselves in his place, listen to him and assess what decision we make. Because there are few occasions when adults attribute certain inconveniences that children manifest to imaginary reasons. Whether the reason for the headache is of physical or emotional origin, the child deserves our attention.
What are the reasons for the appearance of a headache in children?
Children usually have the same types of headache as adults, and among the most common causes for the onset of this medical condition in the pediatric age are the abusive use of television, devices or computer, as well as not sleeping enough hours. But experts also attribute the origin of headaches to stress or ingestion of certain foods or beverages (cheeses, chocolate, fried, ice cream, preparations containing monosodium glutamate or aspartame, etc.).
Between the most common causes: some medications, neglecting food, lack of hydration, minor head injuries, hormonal changes, long trips, listening to music at a very high volume or excessive intake of caffeine (may occur in adolescence).
Other more specific causes: influenza, strep throat, Lyme disease, urinary or sinus infections.
Types of headache in children
We have read in Kids Health, which are tension headache and migraine those that occur most frequently in children:
Tension headache (or muscle contraction), is caused by tension in the neck and head muscles that can be due to various stressors both psychological and physical. Tension headaches are typically not accompanied by nausea or vomiting, and generally do not worsen with physical activity, which usually happens with migraines.
Migraines, it is estimated that between five percent of school-age children, and up to 10% of adolescents suffer from migraines, which are recurring headaches that are accompanied by other symptoms. They are often triggered by factors such as stress, lack of sleep or certain foods or drinks.
The symptoms with which migraines can occur are the following: throbbing and throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head, dizziness, stomach discomfort, nausea and / or vomiting, seeing blackheads or halos, sensitivity to light, noise ua strong odors
Headaches in children (especially if they are severe) are a concern for parents or caregivers, but especially generate a lot of uncertainty in adults. Fortunately, there are very few times when it constitutes a symptom of a serious illness. Pain caused by headaches or migraines can be controlled (in whole or only in part) with analgesics, but it is always convenient to consult the pediatrician.
Y the visit to the doctor is inexcusable when the pain occurs at least once a month, does not disappear easily or is very strong. The request for an appointment with the pediatric specialist should also be considered when the child has associated symptoms such as vomiting, decreased alertness, headache that is capable of waking the child or that appears as a result of a blow or injury. We should also worry if it presents with an epileptic seizure, stiffness and neck / neck pain, visual changes, fever, weakness or any unusual symptoms that concern us especially.
Pediatric consultation should be used both to determine the diagnosis and to establish an accurate treatment
So headaches are not banal at all, and they constitute a serious health problem even in childhood, in fact they are one of the most frequent causes of school absences. Some studies speak of a percentage of up to 96% of children who have had an episode of headache.
And we should be concerned that the number of children with headache or migraine has tripled in the last 20 years, as a symptom of the stress suffered by children, and also as diseases in themselves.
