As with any other medical visit, good doctors ask a lot of questions when faced with a child with a headache.

Older children who are able to express themselves can give an account of the degree of discomfort, the severity of the headache, how long it lasts and how often they have it. Parents or other caregivers can provide answers for younger children who are unable to express their headache symptoms.

Asking about sleep patterns, social stressors, eating and drinking habits are an important part of getting to the bottom of why kids and teens get headaches.

• How children show they have a headache

“Mom my head hurts”. “Dad, my head hurts.” These are some of the many ways that children show that they have a headache.

Many of these children will quickly forget about their headaches and return to playing, but may complain again within the day, the next day, or a week later. Most parents or caregivers hear such complaints, ask routine questions and try to offer emotional comfort or search the medicine drawer for pain relief medications.

Out of the corner of their eye, most parents observe the child who complains of a headache. They would be looking for signs of pain: unusual stillness, not participating in play, refusing to eat, crying, and hands clutching the head. If they don’t have a thermometer to check for fever, parents or caregivers often put the back of their hand on the child’s forehead or cheek. A headache that occurs during a fever usually goes away when the fever goes away.

• Test

Obtaining information is one of the most vital functions of a doctor to obtain more information about a headache. Measuring blood pressure, checking eye reflexes and focus, looking at the depth of the eyeballs, and evaluating the relevant nerves and muscles can give a doctor a clue as to the likely cause of a headache. Above all, obtaining detailed information about the nature of a headache is the most useful part of the exam.

Headache patients may need to undergo an additional test. Brain imaging (MRI, magnetic resonance imaging) will look for structural abnormalities, such as tumors or aneurysms of blood vessels in the brain.

• treatment for headaches

Parents can ease many headaches in their children by giving them pain relievers or pain relievers, such as Tylenol, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.

Children with constant, recurring, or severe headaches should see a doctor. Any headache that prevents a patient from sleeping deserves further investigation by an experienced physician.

Some headaches do not respond to common pain reliever treatments. The triptans are an example of a group of drugs useful in the treatment of acute migraine attacks, for example.

Preventive medicine such as Cyproheptadine (brand name Periactin) is necessary if the headache is chronic and debilitating, causing children to miss school several days a month.

Ten tips and recommendations to combat headaches

• Explore, address, and eliminate social stressors in the home, work, and school environment.
• First, get enough sleep, eight to ten hours each night.
• Second, remove or turn off the television, computer, and cell phone at bedtime.
• Next, avoid headphones; don’t play loud music on your eardrums.
• It’s also important to stay away from foods and beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks, and drink plenty of water.
• Learn head and neck relaxation techniques.
• Eat healthy plant-based foods. Exercise regularly.
• Find and stay in a quiet room until the headache goes away.
• Use a diary to document the nature of your headache. Share the diary with the doctor at your next visit.
• Develop a positive sense of self-esteem.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, but is simply based on the author’s experience. Readers should consult their physician before implementing any part of the suggestions.