Can a preschooler have migraines

Answer 1

ANSWER

Yes, preschool age children can experience migraine headaches. Just because migraines are a possibility, however, does not mean that it is the most likely culprit whenever a child has a severe headache.

It is hard to diagnose migraine in younger children, because it is harder to get them to describe their symptoms. As far as a child understands, their head hurts badly and they feel like they are going to throw up. They won't necessarily understand the difference between the dull ache of a tension headache and the stabbing and throbbing of a migraine. And they may not be able to put into words that the light makes it hurt worse. When a parent has never experienced a migraine themselves or a pediatrician hasn't had many patients who have experienced migraine, the right questions don't always get asked.

There is also the fact that younger children who have migraines are much more likely to have "abdominal migraines," which means that the key component of the "headache" will be the nausea and vomiting along with abdominal pain. They also may have what is known as cyclical vomiting, where vomiting happens are regular intervals (ie, every hour, every half hour, etc..) After throwing up, many times the child will begin to feel better. The parent or guardian witnesses the child throwing up and that the child feels better once they stop throwing up. Even if the child mentions that their head hurts along with the main symptoms, it is more likely that the caretaker would describe the illness as a stomach bug.

If your child has not been diagnosed as having migraines, do not assume that is what is happening, even if there is a family medical history of migraine. It is possible there is something else going on, such as an ear infection - which can also cause one-sided throbbing head pain, and is more likely to occur than a migraine in the preschool age group.

A severe headache in a child that is not relieved using over the counter pain relievers such as Children's Tylenol or Motrin is cause for concern. If the headache comes with fever (and especially if it comes with fever and neck pain/stiffness), seek immediate medical care.