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Head pain can be the result of common ailments such as sore throats, colds, flu, toothaches, and infections of the sinuses, eyes, or ears. Like adults, children can get migraines and tension headaches as well. In extremely rare cases, a child's throbbing head may be a sign of a brain tumor or meningitis. Keep in mind that both of these illnesses will cause many symptoms besides headache.

If your child occasionally has a mild headache but otherwise seems well, the pain is nothing to worry about. She may simply be tired or slightly dehydrated. But when headaches are severe and chronic, she needs help. Here are the major types of pain to watch for.

•Tension headaches: This common type of headache is marked by a dull ache on one side of your child's head or a feeling of pressure on her head or neck. The symptoms are often the result of tension, anxiety, or depression, but may be linked to poor posture as well. Tension headaches usually flare up at school or home under stressful conditions, and disappear when a child plays or relaxes.

•Migraines: These headaches usually first appear in children over 6, but they can strike at any age. Roughly 5 percent of grade school children have had at least one bout with migraines, though most of them outgrow the problem before they reach puberty. The headaches typically cause and mood changes. Young children with migraines often have pain on both sides of the head, while older children normally feel pain on just one side. Some kids also see auras (visions involving light) before the pain hits, and may describe it as wavy lines or flashing lights.

•Cluster headaches. Not many children under 10 get cluster headaches, but they are fairly common in teenagers, especially male teens. The attacks come in a series and cause severe, nonthrobbing pain around one eye that later spreads to the side of the face. The face usually turns red, and the eye becomes swollen and watery.

•Meningitis: When a child has this condition, a sore head is probably the least of her complaints. Meningitis can cause high fever, repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, a bumpy red or purple rash, and an extremely stiff neck -- in a lying position, your child's head can't be bent toward her chest (except in infants under a month old) because that will cause nearly unbearable shooting pains in the head or neck. Your child may also be irritable, listless, or sleepy, and extra sensitive to light. (If your child has these symptoms, call 911 or get medical care immediately.)

•Morning headaches, especially if accompanied by vomiting, in rare cases may be a sign of a brain tumor. If your child has them, make an immediate appointment for an evaluation.

The best way to beat headaches is to try to prevent them in the first place.

•Encourage your child to move around and exercise whenever possible, get enough sleep, and drink plenty of water and other noncaffeinated beverages.

•If she suffers from migraines or tension headaches, she may need help coping with stress and anxiety. Find out what's bothering her, and do what you can to ease her mind. If the headaches are debilitating and show no signs of going away, you may want to set up an appointment with a therapist.

•For extra protection against migraines, help your child identify and avoid the things that seem to set off her headaches. In addition to emotional stress, common migraine triggers in children include certain foods and drinks (including nitrite-preserved foods such as hot dogs and lunch meat), bright or flickering lights, noise, movies or television, unusually heavy exercise, and overexposure to the sun. A headache diary that records your child's symptoms, the date and time of each episode, and the events leading up to the attack can be extremely valuable for determining what her triggers are.

•Help prevent migraines by keeping your child on a regular schedule for meals and sleep. Some clinicians recommend that children drink a cola containing caffeine at the onset of the migraine to help relieve pain.

•For tension headaches, you might want to consider obtaining biofeedback equipment to help your child learn relaxation techniques. Have a health professional show you how to use the equipment, which monitors your child's breathing, pulse rate, muscle tension, and brain activity. Once your child learns the relaxation exercises, she probably won't need to keep using the equipment.

•When pain strikes, you may want to give your child an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. (Because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, children under 16 shouldn't take aspirin unless a doctor recommends it.) Don't let her take more than a few pills each week; children who take too many painkillers can develop rebound headaches when the pills wear off. For drug-free relief, try massaging your child's shoulders and the back of her neck, or put an ice pack on the sore spot.

If your child is in extreme pain, if the headaches recur frequently, or if they keep your child from her usual activities, schedule an appointment with a doctor. A doctor can usually pinpoint the cause of a child's headaches and, if necessary, prescribe drugs that will ease her misery. While the FDA has not approved the use of any medication in children who have migraines, some medications such as ergotamine and sumatriptan can relieve severe attacks. Others, such as tricyclic antidepressants and beta-blockers, can help prevent the pain before it starts. (Though, the FDA warns that antidepressant use in children has been shown to increase suicidal behavior in some young people.) If your child continually suffers from severe tension headaches, it might be helpful for her to see a counselor or therapist to help get to the root of the problem. If your child has morning headaches, especially accompanied by vomiting, or head pain that wakes her up at night, call for an immediate appointment.

Further Resources

Robert H. Pantell M.D., James F. Fries M.D., Donald M. Vickery M.D., Taking Care of Your Child: A Parent's Illustrated Guide to Complete Medical Care. Perseus Books Publishing, L.L.C.: 1999.

References

First published August 3, 1999
Last updated January 30, 2007
Copyright © 1999 Consumer Health Interactive

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