|
Headaches In Children: The Kids Suffer Too |
|
|
|
Page 1 of 2
Yes, it is true that a migraine can attack a
child as young as 10 years of age. Stresses at home and at school,
coupled with peer pressure can lead to headaches in children which can
further get transformed to migraine later on in life. These headaches
can also be caused due to depression. So parents of young children have
to be extremely vigilant about what might be causing their child's
nausea and vomiting.
The frequency of headaches in children
increases once they reach puberty. Although, initially the rate at which
boys and girls get affected by this disorder is the same, but during
adolescence, girls are more affected by it compared to boys.
It
is absolutely necessary for the physician to undertake a complete
neurological exam and also a detailed history to determine migraine in
children.
Various types of headaches can
afflict children. These can range from migraine, tension-type migraine
to organic migraine. Migraine in kids affects both sides of the head,
unlike adult migraine. Migraine in kids may also start after some head
injury especially during sports. Kids who have either car or motion
sickness are likely candidates for migraines later on in life,
especially if there is a family history.
Tension-type headaches
in children may result due to emotional stress at school, home or
friends. Anxiety or depression may result leading to headaches. The
headache in this case is not accompanied by nausea or vomiting, but the
child does become irritable and pale.
Sometimes, some bacterial
or viral attack may be the cause of headache in children. This kind of
headache is referred to as an organic headache. But if the new headache
is accompanied by fever, lethargy and a stiff neck, then a case of
encephalitis or meningitis should be suspected. In this condition, the
child should be rushed to the doctor because both encephalitis and
meningitis can prove to be fatal.
|
