Occipital headache in a child. If a child complains of a headache. Poisoning in children

Headache in children - a fairly frequent, but rather difficult symptom to assess. Distinguish between functional and symptomatic headaches. With symptomatic headaches, the cause can be determined. With functional headaches, most often it is not possible to identify the structural abnormalities that caused the condition.

Often, the headache is accompanied by increased irritability or crying of the child. Peaks of headache in children usually appear at six to seven years (during the period of adaptation to school) and at thirteen to fifteen years (during puberty). V school age the child's complaint about headache can be considered reliable.

Causes of headaches in children

To find out true reason headache great value has the supervision of adults for the characteristics of the child's behavior. If a child complains of a headache, then first it is necessary to clarify the localization of pain (in the parietal, temporal, occipital, frontal, in the area of eyes, nose, ears). Preschool children with a headache pull themselves by the hair, squeeze their heads with their hands. No less important is the characteristic of pain: gradually increasing or sudden, dull or acute, passing by itself or only after taking sedatives or painkillers. Parents should notice if the child's headache is accompanied by redness or paleness of the face, agitation or lethargy, weakness, vomiting, nausea, dizziness. The appearance of severe headaches in a child may be associated with physical activity, stressful situation, accepting any medicines, a trip in transport, overwork.

A huge number of diseases that can be accompanied by a headache can be grouped into three main groups - general diseases of the child, diseases of the brain and diseases of other parts of the head.

Severe headache in children can be accompanied by infectious and inflammatory diseases in acute period(tonsillitis, pyelonephritis, flu, pneumonia, erysipelas). Headache in this case occurs against the background of general intoxication of the body at an elevated body temperature. It usually disappears after taking antipyretic drugs with an analgesic effect (Paracetamol, Efferalgan, Calpol).

Headaches in children can be caused by stress, mental and physical stress, conflicts in the family and school, overstrain, spasmodic clamps of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and neck. The pain of a squeezing, pressing character usually extends to the occipital and frontal part gradually covering the entire head. Moreover, it does not increase with physical activity... Such pain most often goes away on its own after a walk, sleep, and warm-up. If a headache of this type occurs more often than a hundred days a year, then it is necessary to examine the child's body.

Severe headaches in children can occur when the walls are stretched, cerebral circulation and vascular tone of the brain. Such pain can be bursting, pulsating, pressing. The examination will help establish the root cause of these headaches.

With a sensitive psyche, the causes of headaches in children may be unwillingness to go to school, a doctor, or eat up porridge. A psychotherapist or psychiatrist can help with this type of pain. Parents should help organize the child the correct daily routine, provide a stable emotional background, and reduce emotional and physical stress.

If a child complains of a headache, and at the same time it is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, redness or pale skin, then the cause of this condition may be a migraine. With migraines, photophobia is often manifested. Multi-colored circles appear before the eyes or the visual picture completely falls out. A migraine attack can last from half an hour to five hours.

A sudden severe headache in a child, localized in the frontal, temporal regions, or covering the entire head may indicate inflammatory disease the meninges (meningitis) or the whole brain (encephalitis). Simultaneously with pain, repeated vomiting, chills usually begin, body temperature rises significantly.

If a child has a severe headache after a head injury, and after the pain nausea and dizziness appear, then a bruise or concussion of the brain can be suspected.

Often the cause of headaches in children is inflammation of the maxillary or frontal paranasal sinuses of the skull. In this case, pain most often appears in the morning, with an increase in pressure in the sinuses (when they are filled with pus). Primary school children sometimes complain of headache when acute otitis media(inflammation of the middle ear). Headache can also occur with herpetic eruptions, with erysipelas of the scalp, with impaired vision, as well as with neuralgia of the upper branch trigeminal nerve.

Treatment of headache in children

To relieve headaches in children at home, it is necessary to remove any physical or mental stress, lightly massage the temples, put a warm compress on the child's forehead, and give the child the opportunity to sleep in the fresh air.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to find out the exact cause of the headache. First, the doctor must carefully examine the complaints, the history of the development of the disease, and carefully examine the child. Additional studies will not be needed if the findings from the examination indicate tension headaches or migraines. Laboratory and instrumental research are simply necessary when identifying signs during the survey organic defeat central nervous system.

Paracetamol is commonly used to treat headaches in children. At long-term treatment dihydroergotamine and beta-blockers are used. Dihydroergotamine is given in incremental dosages over six to eight weeks. With an increased tendency to seizures, it is advisable to take for a limited period of time anticonvulsants(phenytoin, carbamazepine). If the child is prone to vomiting while taking medication, then the drugs are best administered in the form of suppositories.

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Acute or chronic headache is familiar to many people, in particular children suffer from it. By the nature of the manifestations, the pain is different: pulsating, acute, aching, shooting, localizes one or another part of the head. Why does the child hurt exactly occipital part, and how to get rid of unpleasant symptoms, consider in more detail?

There can be many reasons. It is not so scary if the child has soreness for the first time due to overstrain of the muscles and soft tissues of the neck after a long stay of the head in one position. But, the back of the head is directly related to the spine (cervical spine) and the causes of pain can be more unpleasant. So, everything is in order.

If a child complains of compression of the head, pain in the temples and forehead, then the reason may be increased intracranial pressure, changes in the vessels of the brain, or as a result of a recent sore throat, flu.

It is important to recognize in time the nature of the pain in the back of the head in a child. With its strengthening when turning the head to the sides, a prolonged course, the development of osteochondrosis (spondylitis) is possible.

If the neck muscles are hardened, then this is a consequence of curvature of posture or muscle overexertion after a long stay in an uncomfortable position. The child may simply be blown out in a draft and pain is a symptom that not everything is in order in the cervical spine.

Common causes of back pain are brain injuries. If the child lost consciousness immediately after the impact, then this clear sign head damage. Symptoms often resolve quickly. The kid will cry a little, calm down and quickly forget about the trouble. But he may start to be capricious again after some time, which should certainly alert parents, especially if the head pains are strong, it is dark before the eyes.

The consequences of the blow did not pass without a trace, when the fontanelle swelling in infants, the head tilting back with an arching of the back became more frequent. If the baby has already hit his head, then you need to lay him down, isolate him from bright light from getting into his eyes and rub the bruised place with your palms slightly, apply a cold compress. For a while, protect the child from unnecessary noise, outdoor games. With the appearance of nausea, vomiting, signs of cerebral hemorrhage in children, of course, you need to see a doctor immediately.

Migraine. Increased pain during coughing, sneezing may indicate neuralgic diseases. The most common of them and even in childhood- migraine
Heart - vascular diseases as a result of circulatory disorders in the brain. Oxygen starvation occurs, a sharp narrowing of blood vessels, jumps blood pressure, hypertension develops and, as its main symptom, pain in the back of the head. Provoke hypertension may be a hereditary factor, a sudden change in the weather, sleep disorder. With hypertension light form symptoms in children quickly pass, it is enough just to walk in the fresh air, to establish a diet and sleep. If the case is severe and pain in the back of the head has become a constant phenomenon, then you need to see a neurologist, undergo the prescribed treatment (pathological changes are possible in the vessels).
Neuralgia, a headache due to damage to the trigeminal nerve, shocks like an electric current, often repeats, but quickly passes. When coughing, sneezing, sharp turns of the head intensifies, the muscles on the face may twitch (involuntarily contract). Neuralgia occurs when there are malfunctions in the cervical spine, against the background of a cold, an outbreak of an infectious disease. To eliminate troubles, heating, UHF, applying a bag of heated sand and warm compresses or cabbage leaves (plantain), and gauze soaked in juice are rare to the occipital area. It is good to give children an infusion of wormwood yarrow. Many problems with cervical vertebrae become the result of improper posture of the child, which is important to monitor to teach children with early childhood... The neck is well supported by a cushion during sleep, which should be placed instead of a pillow, and the bed should also be firm enough.
Migraine, according to experts, is in most cases hereditary ailment usually transmitted from the mother. The likelihood of migraine in children is high if the mother herself suffers from it. This disease is associated with a lack of serotonin in the brain, which actually leads to throbbing pains, nausea and dizziness. It is unlikely that a complete cure of migraine is possible in the event of its inheritance, but it is possible to block and relieve attacks immediately when it appears: often ventilating the room, staying in the fresh air. Children can be given freshly squeezed juice of potatoes (2 tablespoons 2-3 times a day), viburnum, black currant (juices), massage the head and the back of the head.
Cervical osteochondrosis, abrasion of the vertebrae of the neck and intervertebral discs... Reasons for development - sedentary sedentary image life, smoking, overweight everything, genetic predisposition, improper body position during sleep. It hurts in the neck and back of the head. It is necessary to treat the disease, the processes of degeneration in the cervical spine in a child can ultimately lead to irreversible consequences.
Cervical spondylosis, there is deformation of the vertebrae in the neck, the appearance of osteophytes - growths that cause pain when turning the head, torment especially at night, do not go away even at rest. From increased tension in the cervical zone, in addition to pain in the back of the head, it puts pressure on the eyes and ears. More often, the disease occurs in the elderly or those leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Cervical myositis, manifestation inflammatory response in the muscles of the skeleton of the spine, leading to damage to one of the groups of bones. it internal pathology, but with manifestations on the skin, regression of dermatomyositis is possible due to hypothermia, early injuries or muscle strains suffered infectious diseases... It hurts first in the neck area, then begins to move to the back of the head. Only treatment on early stage ailment gives positive results... According to the results X-ray examination anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial agents... Shown are massage, physiotherapy.

Young children cannot express signs of anxiety in words, they just start to be capricious and cry. In fact, parents need to be attentive. A lack of air in the room, a bright sound, light, and even a long stay during sleep in one position, when the neck muscles become numb, can cause discomfort in the back of the head. The irritant factor can be TV, loud sound or aroma candles placed in front of the baby's bed. Aromatherapy has a powerful effect on the body and the effect should be relaxing, calming. But all the same, if the baby is capricious from the light directed into the eyes, and he does not like it, then it is better to remove and take a closer look in the silence and in the dark he will fall asleep faster.

Neck pain in a child may appear due to malocclusion and difficulty in chewing food if the teeth are in the wrong position. This affects speech, gums, and pain in the back of the head is also manifested. In addition, headache occurs in children under 5 years of age, and can be triggered by the intake of certain foods. Food with high content nitrites and preservatives lead to vasoconstriction and spasms, as a result - to a headache in the occiput. Harmful substances available in food additives, for example, tyramine, sodium nitrite, which can cause headaches, low blood sugar. They have a bad effect on the brain and its functions, fail. If such phenomena were observed in the mother during pregnancy, then there is a high probability that the child will suffer from headaches from birth.

In case of poisoning with poor-quality food (except for headache), children may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea due to indigestion. It is important to prevent dehydration, to water the child more often with broths, tea with the addition of mint, St. John's wort, elderberry. If the neck area hurts with attacks, then you can prepare an infusion of birch leaves by brewing 1 tbsp. 1 cup boiling water, let it brew for 2-3 hours, apply to the affected area.

If the child is predisposed to pain in the head and occiput with attacks, it is necessary to exclude food rich in carbohydrates from the diet, feed the child more often (up to 5 times a day), but in small portions.

Children are impulsive, emotional, unable to cope with psychological problems and stress. Negative emotions negatively affect the brain, causing headaches that can be violent, violent, monotonous, or prolonged. Pain relievers are not always helpful with analgesics and sedatives with strong overexcitation.

It is hardly possible to protect your child from everyone negative factors acting on the brain from the outside, but the development of protective reactions of the body must be constantly taught. A child should not keep fears, doubts and experiences in himself, but throw them out in time due to the groundlessness of such types of anxiety. It is important to explain this so that the baby believes and quickly calms down.

If a child complains of pain in the back of the head, then surely there are certain explanations. What to do in such a situation, what factors provoke discomfort, who to contact, why does pathology arise and how to treat it?

Painful manifestations in the back of the skull are formed for all sorts of reasons. This can mean a harbinger of serious upset or as a result of prolonged sitting at the lessons and the computer.

There are a lot of factors that cause pain in the back of the head in a child. If abnormalities appear due to muscle tension cervical after being in the wrong position for a long time, it is not very scary. It is important to know that the occipital area is directly connected to the spine, and therefore unpleasant sensations are caused.

Each parent, faced with such pathologies and deciding what medicine to give to the baby, initially needs to consult a pediatrician to find out why pain occurs in the back of the child's head, the reasons for education.

How negative manifestations are provoked:

hemicrania;
neurocirculatory dystonia;
brain metamorphoses, defects, inflammations;
high or low blood pressure;
toxic encephalopathy;
poisoning (after past infections, viral diseases: colds, flu, rubella, whooping cough, ARVI, chronic liver damage, kidney pathology, etc. due to the multiplication of bacteria);
intoxication (taking medications, exhaust gases, combustion products, toxic emissions into the atmosphere, chemical substances, alcohol, nicotine);
trauma: concussions, bruises of the skull and brain, fractures;
diseases that provoke inflammatory processes: arachnoiditis, meningitis;
tumors (malignant and benign);
epileptic seizures;
pathologies of ENT organs (rhinitis, otitis media, sinusitis);
prolonged eye strain (myopia);
heart defects;
temporomandibular articular anomalies, malocclusion;
osteochondrosis (violation of the discs located between the vertebrae), neck migraine, spondylitis;
congenital deformity of the skull;
neuroses (mental disorders);
high pressure inside the skull;
other.

There are also external stimuli for the formation of pain:

prolonged physical activity;
psycho-emotional and moral stress;
changes in weather conditions (meteorological dependence);
long sitting in front of the TV, monitor;
acrid odors;
noise and loud sounds.

With the emerging severe pain in the back of the head of a child, the reasons can only be identified by a doctor of the corresponding profile after all the necessary examinations.

Often, babies also show such deviations. It is important to understand in a timely manner that not everything is in order with your beloved child. Every negative change in the behavior of the baby is obliged to alert the parents.

In infancy, even the slightest violation are dangerous, so it is important to see a pediatrician immediately.

Symptoms by which you can determine that there is a headache in the back of the head in an infant:

cries for a long time, does not respond to simple lulling reasons;
disrupts the usual sleep pattern, becomes lethargic, moody, interest in others decreases;
reacts sharply and negatively to touch;
begins to spit up often;
throws his head back, convulsions appear;
veins appear on the cranial surface;
refuses to eat, diarrhea (other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are formed).

Falls and bumps are the main causes of pain in the back of the head in babies. Often two categories are affected (newborns and one year old).

The causes and signs of the onset of painful sensations are interrelated, have different levels of intensity. Some, with strong manifestations, begin to freeze involuntarily, but do not cry. With the formation of meningitis, the baby becomes apathetic and always sleeps, even eats with his eyes closed.

Negative painful sensations are rarely formed in a child compared to adults. The children's nervous system is not fully formed, therefore it does not respond to many irritating factors.

Often, unpleasant sensations are manifested due to a decrease in protective psychological functions. Painful deviations can be of a different nature:

aching;
throbbing;
crushing;
contracting;
bursting.

Pathologies arise in the morning, at night or in the evening, in various head areas:

in front or behind;
frontal area;
in the organs of vision;
temporal areas;
occipital part;
cervical spine;
over the entire surface, or on one side (left, right).

The main symptoms may be: nausea, vomiting, dizziness.

Diseases

VSD (vegetative vascular dystonia).

In a child, all body systems are not fully functioning, since they have not yet matured. As a consequence, regulation physiological processes is slow. Adapting to changing conditions environment not fast.

There are main factors (congenital, acquired) that cause this pathology. They are associated with:

heredity (associated with constitutional characteristics);
complications during gestation (intrauterine abnormalities in the development of the central nervous system) and childbirth (injuries cervical area and spine);
increased anxiety, depression, fears (personal psychological signs);
negative influence of relationships with parents, peers (in kindergarten, school, informal groups);
trauma to the skull, neoplasms, infections;
emotional and physical stress(simultaneous attendance of numerous classes, studies with increased requirements, sports competitions);
lack of movement (hypokinesia);
violations of the working capacity of the internal secretion glands (in adolescents, congenital diseases);
focal infections: sinusitis, caries, tonsillitis;
diabetes mellitus;
osteochondrosis;
long sitting (computer, TV).

Vegetovascular dystonia often occurs in choleric people ( elevated level mental activity). Such syndromes appear when the weather conditions change or in the morning. In order to avoid the risk of education, it is necessary to carry out prevention.

High or low blood pressure (arterial).

The rate of such an indicator is reached by the age of majority. Until this period, it only increases. Increased parameter - hypertension, decreased - hypotension (less common, symptoms - headache, weakness, lethargy, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, nausea, rapid breathing).

Provoked;

heredity;
individual anatomical features;
fluctuations in hormones (puberty);
poor home conditions;
trauma to the skull and brain;
diabetes mellitus;
anemia (iron deficiency);
cardiac pathologies.

Such deviations cannot be ignored. It is important to visit a doctor, undergo diagnostics, so that treatment can be prescribed.

Permanent high blood pressure noted from one to three percent. It occurs as a result of a number of diseases ( endocrine system, Central nervous system, kidney, heart, blood vessels, tumors).

Signs are noted:

pain in the head;
nausea, toxicosis;
problems with the organs of vision;
manifestation of seizures (hypertensive crisis);
rapid fatigue;
irritability;
heart discomfort.

A distinctive feature is the absence of temperature. It is recommended to adjust the daily routine, avoid conflicts and stressful situations, establish correct diet(exclude junk food- salted, fatty, pickled, smoked).

ICP (deviation from the norm).

This indicator fluctuates (rises, falls). It is at a low value that a child often has a headache in the back of the head. Babies cannot tell about unpleasant manifestations, so it is important to pay attention to the following symptoms:

constant grasping for the head, lowering downward;
prolonged crying, whims;
lethargy, apathy, drowsiness appear;
in the morning sleeps for a long time and refuses to eat.

With an increase in ICP:

headache begins (often after a night's rest, increases with coughing and sneezing);
the child is sick, vomits;
squint develops;
heart rate and breathing decrease.

In infants, the fontanelle pulsates on the crown of the head, frequent regurgitation appears in a large volume, a slow response to external factors, the child is crying, the chin is trembling.

Migraine manifestations.

Paroxysmal left or right side heads. It often occurs in adolescents, but sometimes it also affects children 2-5 years of age, with a sharp change:

psycho-emotional state;
lighting from dark to light;
exposure to odors.

It is accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, sore eyes, dizziness. The duration of the attack is more than one hour. After that, severe drowsiness appears.

Often, such an abnormal manifestation is inherited. To cure, medications and preventive procedures are used that prevent attacks.

By the onset of adulthood, the migraine practically disappears, since the vascular walls are strengthened and the functionality increases.

Meningitis.

Every child is constantly exposed different viruses and infections. This disease, which occurs due to inflammatory processes in the brain membrane, was no exception. The causative agents are considered (viruses, bacteria, fungi).

The main features are:

an increase in temperature to a huge value (more than 39 degrees), fever;
there are complaints of pain in the head (increases with movement, loud sounds, bright lighting);
toxicosis is formed (does not depend on food) when changing position;
consciousness is inhibited;
convulsions of epilepsy as a result of fever and lesions of the meninges;
in newborns, the parietal fontanelle protrudes, incessant crying, constant regurgitation, refusal of food.

So infectious dangerous disease heals only in stationary conditions... If the symptoms described above appear, it is important to immediately call doctors and leave the child under vigilant supervision.

Infectious pathologies of the throat, ears, organs of vision.

Kids and schoolchildren often get sick with ENT diseases, which include:

sinusitis;
rhinitis;
angina;
tracheitis;
otitis.

Unpleasant sensations begin to appear even before the disorder itself, since toxic intoxication occurs cerebral vessels and shell, the pressure in the skull rises.

Toxins and irritants also affect eye pathologies. In inflammatory processes, in addition to headache, cramps are formed and lacrimation increases. V mandatory accompanied by an increase in temperature.

Overvoltage.

The most common cause of negative sensations is considered stress (mental, emotional, physical), which are caused by:

shocks of schoolchildren at exams, tests, tests;
violations of the daytime regimen (reduction of night rest);
tense situation in the family, kindergarten, school;
wrong position when sleeping;
stuffy rooms;
prolonged sitting near the TV and PC;
fasting;
changing climatic conditions.

The mechanism for the formation of unpleasant manifestations is different:

the muscles are overstrained and inflammatory processes occur (vessels dilate, substances that are irritating are released into the blood);
the ability of the brain to respond correctly to the transformation of external conditions ( emotional condition changes, hormones are poorly produced.

Localization occurs in the temporal zones, on the forehead, sometimes on the crown. The character is squeezing. The duration of the attack is up to several hours. It hurts the child to put on a hat, he does not want to comb his hair. Often, the muscles begin to ache, give off to the stomach and heart. The kid becomes weak, does not want to eat, does not sleep well.

Skull trauma.

This is the most important factor, because babies move tirelessly, do not calculate their strength and bump into objects without realizing their strength. Abrasions, bruises, knees knocked down in primary school age, this is a common thing. Naturally, the head can also be damaged. You must immediately consult a doctor if:

there are complaints of discomfort in different zones (temporal, occipital, frontal);
nausea appears;
coordination of movements is impaired.

Important! A concussion not cured in time will lead to sad consequences in the future.

In addition to the described diseases, in which pain in the occipital part appears, there are others that can be detected only by visiting a doctor.

Diagnostics

The survey data begins with the collection of anamnesis:

the complaints of a minor patient are heard;
parents are asked about the symptoms that have arisen (nausea, dizziness, vomiting) and the onset of the onset;
trauma is revealed;
students are asked to tell about the school environment, about the workload in the classroom.

measured temperature, pressure;
the skull is examined for the presence of tubercles and bumps, the cervical region, and the throat.

Then, if necessary, the doctor can prescribe other types of diagnostics:

X-ray (head, spine);
ultrasound procedure;
computer (CT) or magnetic resonance (MRI) tomography;
tests (urine, blood, cerebrospinal fluid);
throat swab;
neurosono-, electroencephalography;
consulting with other narrow-profile doctors (ophthalmologist, ENT, dentist, neurologist, cardiologist, psychologist).

Treatment

Such measures are prescribed only after a comprehensive diagnostic examination, complete identification of the factors for the formation of painful manifestations and a clear diagnosis.

Every parent is concerned about what can be given to the baby to reduce negative feelings at home. All medicines are designed and manufactured according to the age of the children:

newborns and 1st year ( rectal suppositories, quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and relieve pain);
older children (tasty syrups and potions);
schoolchildren and adolescents (tablets, capsules).

The safest are "Paracetamol" (from three months) and "Ibuprofen" (from six months).

Other medications that relieve headaches (nurofen, pain, ibunorm, panadol, efferalgan, calpol, dofalgan).

It is forbidden to use medicines where aspirin is present (toxic effect on the liver and brain) and citramone (when dissolved, dangerous substance- phenacetin).

If the parent is sure that the baby is simply overtired, then before removing painful manifestations with medication, you can do the following:

eliminate any stress (physical, mental);
wash your face and hands with lukewarm water;
put a hot bandage on the frontal area;
do massage manipulations in the temporal areas;
take warm water treatments(bath, shower);
you can soar your feet;
ventilate the room and put to bed (it is recommended in the fresh air);
brew black either herbal tea(mint, lemon balm, St. John's wort, oregano, linden);
insist valerian root (one tablespoon of the plant is poured with 1 glass pure water, keep in a closed container for a day, filtered, use 2-3 tablespoons before a night's rest).

Preventive actions if the child has a pain in the back of the head

The best method to prevent the development of such negative syndromes is to streamline his daily regimen - clear and gentle:

correctly alternate study periods and rest;
walk regularly in nature;
normalize the load on the organs of vision and central nervous system;
develop and strengthen immune system(tempered);
diversify food so that it contains the necessary minerals and vitamins;
exclude external stimuli that have a detrimental effect on the psyche;
avoid physical exhaustion;
ventilate the nursery daily.

The manifestations of cephalalgia in children are a harbinger of the occurrence of serious pathologies, and reduce the baby's ability to perceive the environment normally, change mood and attitude towards relatives, and can become a factor in mental disorder.

If a child has systematic pain in the back of his head, we recommend visiting the forum and the official website of the pediatrician doctor Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, as well as watching a video detailing the causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment of head disorders in childhood.

Video

Reading time: 6 minutes

Frequent headache in children makes the little patient nervous and irritable, therefore, it is necessary to determine the cause of the pathological process in a timely manner and quickly eliminate it. It is recommended to consult a pediatrician for advice, diagnose and start effective scheme treatment. If a child complains of a headache, parents should not be ignored. unpleasant symptom clearly indicative of a progressive disease.

What is a headache in children

This is not the underlying disease, but an unpleasant symptom of the disease, which is often directly involved in the differential diagnosis. It is difficult for a baby to complain about acute attacks, therefore, adult parents should pay attention to the behavior of the little patient. With symptomatic headaches, it is necessary to timely determine the etiology of the pathological process, to eliminate additional signs of the disease. The presence of acute attacks deprives sleep and rest, and in the absence intensive care the intensity of relapses only increases.

Why does a child have a headache

If a small patient begins to complain of a headache, it is necessary to study other symptoms in a specific clinical picture. Attacks can be primary and secondary, where in the first case we are talking about the main ailment called cephalalgia, and in the second - the manifestation of another disease with the need for differential diagnosis. Primary disease includes pathological presses such as:

migraines (lasting from 30 minutes to 5 hours, especially often prevail in adolescents);
tension headaches (attacks last from 30 minutes to 2 - 3 hours, go away on their own);
the appearance of cluster headaches (cluster pains occur with systemic circulatory disorders).

Acute attacks may indicate other progressive diseases of the body with the most unexpected clinical outcomes. For example, this is one of neurological symptoms or a sign of inflammation of the lining of the brain. Other causes of secondary headaches are listed below:

VSD syndrome;
tumor processes of the brain;
extensive pathologies of the ENT organs;
increased intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension);
viral and infectious diseases;
CNS infections (meningitis and encephalitis);
systemic intoxication of the body;
traumatic brain injury to the head and brain.
dental diseases;
inflammation of the trigeminal nerve;
acute visual impairment.

The child has a headache, no temperature

Pathologies in a child associated with increased intracranial pressure, are not always accompanied by instability temperature regime... Headaches in this case need clinical methods diagnostics can be argued in a laboratory way. If an acute headache is not accompanied high temperature, the main reasons may be as follows:

transferred stresses;
mental and physical stress;
poisoning of the body;
heat, sunstroke;
sudden changes in atmospheric pressure.

Headache often

A child can get sick at any age, but in any case, it is required to pay attention in time to unpleasant changes in the general condition. If acute migraine attacks have become the norm of everyday life, the first step is to have a comprehensive examination. The patient at such moments becomes nervous and irritable, and the headache occurs when:

brain tumors of benign and malignant nature;
traumatic brain injury;
recurrent vegetative-vascular dystonia;
vascular pathologies, for example, with abnormal development of the vascular walls;
inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, other diseases of the ENT practice.

In the forehead

Most often, the main cause of headache concentrated in the region of the frontal bone is inflammation, i.e. localization of foci of pathology - upper Airways... The pain is pulsating, paroxysmal, and unpleasant relapses are accompanied by dizziness, severe nausea and short vomiting. Potential diagnoses are presented below:

sinusitis;
sinusitis;
laryngitis;
frontal;
traumatic brain injury.

In the back of the head

An unpleasant consequence vascular diseases is increased pressure in the back of the head, which eventually degenerates into bouts of acute headache. We are talking about impaired permeability of the vascular walls, oxygen starvation, the formation of extensive foci of necrosis. Together with emotional stress headaches in the back of the head only intensify, often accompanied by vomiting. A headache in a child in the back of the head can be the result of an injury in the skull, develop into chronic problem with health.

Diagnostic measures

To reliably determine the main causes of headaches in children, you need to go through comprehensive examination... To begin with, the doctor collects anamnesis data, while differential diagnosis is appropriate. Additional preventive measures doctors distinguish:

CT, REG and MRI;
X-ray of the cervical spine;
duplex of cerebral vessels;
angiography;
ultrasound diagnostics;
radiological research;
laboratory tests of blood and urine.

What to do if your child has a headache

It is very problematic to eliminate the problem only with Paracetamol, especially if the etiology of the pathological process has not been identified. If a child has a headache, doctors recommend the following treatments:

carry out nutritional correction, adhere to a therapeutic diet;
eliminate stress, emotional stress;
provide the child bed rest, provide oxygen access;
strain less, rest more, especially with an acute headache;
drink more fluids, especially with bouts of vomiting;
take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by mouth;
drink vitamins, multivitamin complexes.

First aid

First of all, the child needs to ensure bed rest and complete rest, not to make him nervous or irritated. In the children's room, where there is a small patient, it is necessary to provide unhindered access fresh air, oxygen. Further "resuscitation" actions should be as follows:

exclude sound, light stimuli;
ensure a healthy and satisfying sleep;
to cook light child food;
make warm green tea with lemon;
prepare a decoction of soothing herbs for your child;
put a damp towel on the child's forehead;
give the baby Ibuprofen or Paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid to thin the blood.

Medicines

Depending on the general condition drug treatment has the following features, must be previously agreed with the attending physician:

Paracetamol is recommended for the treatment of headaches, but in complicated clinical pictures, its use is useless. In this case, dihydroergotamine and beta-blockers are used with a gradual increase in dose for a course of 6 to 8 weeks.
You can eliminate pain syndrome with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pills. Especially effective Ibuprofen, it has several forms of release. Take pills orally in the relapse stage at intervals of 3 to 4 hours until the symptoms disappear. Among the advantages of Ibuprofen are quick effect, local action, elimination of headaches and muscle pains. Disadvantage - the drug temporarily removes the symptom, does not cure.
With a tendency to seizures, anticonvulsants are prescribed in the form of phenytoin. The first medication should be taken orally in the following dosages: up to 5 years - a quarter of a tablet twice a day; from 5 to 8 years old - in a quarter, 3 - 4 times a day; from 8 years and older - 1 - 2 tablets for 2 doses. Advantages - fast action in the child's body.

Prophylaxis

You can prevent acute headaches in childhood at home, the main thing is the increased vigilance of parents and a sensitive attitude towards children's health... For a child to be healthy, adults must adhere to the following preventive measures:

determine a clear daily routine for the child;
monitor dietary food on a daily basis;
to do with a child hiking in the fresh air;
eliminate stress and overwork in the child's body;
ensure regular ventilation of the children's room;
lead an active lifestyle with your child;
exclude increased visual stress;
systematically strengthen children's immunity.

Video

Unfortunately, modern pediatrics records an annual increase in the incidence of childhood diseases, including serious health disorders in children. To date, a list of the most common diseases in children has been compiled, consisting of 10 diseases and complaints, one of which is a child's headache. Doctors, as a rule, at the first visit try to calm down anxious parents: a headache in children is not always a disease or a complex health disorder. Nevertheless, such a symptom cannot be ignored either, therefore, first of all, a specialist will prescribe a comprehensive examination in order to determine adequate reasons headache in children.

Headaches in children can occur due to different reasons, most of them qualified specialists refer to those that have a psychosomatic basis. Most child psychologists agree that preschool children are severely and often get sick only when there is a “sick society” around them. It is neuroses that often become the main reason that frequent headaches appear in a child.

Specialists and the most common physiological reasons headaches in children:

pain in the head of vascular etymology;
manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia;
inflammation of the vessels of the brain;
sharp fluctuations in intracranial pressure;
toxicoinfections of the body, affecting the brain tissue;
intoxication against the background of viral, infectious diseases, chronic pathologies in the child's body;
poisoning with medicinal substances, carbon monoxide, alcohol vapors;
craniocerebral head injuries of any severity;
migraine;
epileptic syndrome;
inflammatory process in the meninges;
diseases of the nasopharynx, ears, including purulent: otitis media, sinusitis;
spasms that occur against the background of muscle tension;
neoplasms in the brain area of various etymologies, including dropsy;
heart disease and diseases of the hematopoietic organs;
various forms of neuritis;
deformation processes of the cranial bones and cervical vertebrae.

Headache in children of different age groups differs in the degree of intensity and severity of symptoms, which cannot but affect the characteristics of the complaints of a small patient. A kid under 3 years old who complains specifically about pain in the head is a rarity, as insufficient passive vocabulary, which distinguishes this particular age, will not allow little man easily explain what worries him.

Pain spasm in toddlers

If a child has a headache at the age of three to four years and younger, then parents should understand that the baby will not complain about a specific source of pain: the symptoms will be complex and pronounced.

Symptoms	Hydrocephalus	Intoxication	Congenital pathologies of blood vessels and brain tissues
Anxiety, increased irritability	not always	Yes	Yes
Decreased appetite, refusal to eat	not always	Yes	Yes
Crying, intensified by noise and color influences	Yes	not always	Yes
Spontaneous screams, flinching for no reason	not always	Yes	Yes
Frequent regurgitation, severe vomiting	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pronounced pulsation in the fontanel area	Yes	Yes	Yes
Throwing back the head while lying down and sitting	Yes	No	Yes

Adequately determine the cause of the child's headache early age only a pediatric specialist will be able to diagnostic examinations and appointing certain clinical researches.

Headache in preschool children

Pediatricians claim that in preschool age infrequently a small patient complains of a headache. If a child of 4 years of age or older has a headache, then the reasons for such a pathology should be sought in specific pathological processes occurring in the body of a preschooler. As a rule, at this age, if the child has a headache, then the subsequent symptoms acute illness will not be slow to manifest themselves and will quickly make themselves felt.

Pathological process	The nature and location of the headache	Concomitant symptoms
Acute viral infection, influenza	The head hurts in the frontal part: the baby points to the forehead, sometimes whiskey	Fever symptoms, fever, chills Redness of the eye sclera, tearing Swelling of the nose, possible cough Abdominal pain
Inflammatory diseases of the nose, maxillary sinuses	Headache in the forehead and eye sockets Throbbing pain in the parietal region	Swelling of the nose and nasopharynx Purulent nasal discharge Elevated temperature Increased tearing
Inflammatory pathologies auditory tube and ears	The child may have a severe headache in the temporal, parietal region	Elevated temperature Persistent sleep disturbance The baby screams when pressing on the outer part of the auricle
Anemia	Headache in the forehead	Pallor of the skin Dizziness Asthenic syndrome

The causes of headache in children 4-5 years old may be congenital pathological processes in the brain:

deformation of the bones of the skull;
tumors and neoplasms;
hydrocephalus;
hematomas.

As a rule, such diagnoses can only be talked about if the child often has a headache. A 5-year-old baby is able to timely complain of a spasm and describe the nature of the pain, therefore it is important for parents to just listen to their preschooler and respond to signals in time child's body.

Pain syndrome in younger schoolchildren

The older the preschooler becomes, the more complex the complex of reasons that can provoke a painful spasm in the head becomes. Child psychologists note common reason, against the background of which a headache develops in a child at the age of 6 and at the age of 7 - a psychogenic factor associated with the adaptation of a preschooler to the new social status of a younger student. On a psychosomatic basis, a number of various pathologies, as a newly acquired, and that of a chronic nature.

Those chronic diseases, which the baby may have, but did not make themselves felt at the age of five, are manifested at the age of seven by complex and pronounced symptoms, and can also act as the reason why the head hurts.

Pathology type	Causes	Symptoms	Age category
Migraine	Hereditary vascular factor	Acute pulsating pain spasm in the forehead of a child or in the temporal zones The gore in the eyes Suppression of appetite Nausea, vomiting Tinnitus, dizziness Numbness in the tips of the fingers and parts of the face	First peak: 7 years of age (occasionally 5 years) Second peak: 12 years
Stress pain	Psycho-emotional overload Increased visual load against the background of decreased vision Stress factor Excessive physical activity	The child has a headache, presses in the temples Vowel redness Lacrimation Nausea Dizziness	Beginning of schooling: 7 years Puberty: 9 - 12 years
Psychogenic cephalalgia	Stressful situations Conflicts in society	The child has a constant headache for a couple of weeks or longer Dull, non-localized pain	Peak exacerbations: 9-10 years
Cluster pain	Irritation of a large cranial nerve	Boring, sharp pain in the eye or temple Lachrymation Swelling of the nasopharynx Excessive sweating Descent of the upper eyelid	First peak: 7-9 years Second peak: 9-13 years

A complaint about a headache in a 10-year-old child may also be symptomatic pain against the background of hormonal changes in the child's body to the adolescent one. As a rule, the first signs of such failures are headaches in children of 8 years old, they become more frequent at 9 years of age. During puberty, symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia are often activated, and the following symptoms are also present:

bursting, prickly pain in the head;
nausea, vomiting;
decreased visual acuity, darkening in the eyes;
dizziness;
excessive sweating;
pallor of the skin.

In an 8-year-old child, similar symptoms also signal early "bells" of vegetative-vascular dystonia, manifested against the background of a hereditary factor.

First aid for spasm

Before deciding to get rid of the baby's pain spasm, you should understand why the child often has a headache. Symptomatic help, unfortunately, will not eliminate the main factors that provoke painful spasm. The solution to the problem of what to give a child for a headache must have the right approach, since we are talking about children.

First of all, you should contact a professional specialist and determine the cause of the often recurring spasm when the baby has a headache.

provide rest in a darkened room with fresh air;
protect the baby from sound and light stimuli;
you can give your child a warm sweet and sour drink;
give any pain reliever recommended to children for headaches.

Tablets for headache for children should be selected with extreme caution, it is advisable to follow the recommendations of the doctor who is observing the baby from birth. If a small patient has a history of allergic reaction on medicinal product or its analogues, from a non-professional approach to alleviating his condition, the baby can become even more sick and get complications.

You can't do without a doctor

Parents should not forget that it is possible to alleviate the condition of a child suffering from a headache only once or a couple of times. There are a number of factors that should serve as a signal for contacting a doctor and urgent cancellation of self-medication:

headache attacks are repeated several times a month;
not a single hereditary case of migraine was recorded in the family;
headaches become more intense at night and in the morning;
the baby has become poorly oriented in space and loses coordination;
the appearance of attacks of convulsive spasm against the background of pain in the head;
subfebrile or elevated temperature for a long time;
changes in the baby's behavior, slowing down of reactions.

The solution to the question of how to help children when they have a severe headache is best left to medical professionals, since self-medication is always dangerous, but especially when it comes to children.