Any pain for a child is dangerous, but there is a special situation with the occurrence, which can be a sign of problems both with the brain and many other systems and tissues. A particular difficulty is the problem with its recognition, especially in young children who cannot describe their complaints in detail and accurately.
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It is important to understand that doctors always refer to headaches as danger signs, in healthy children, a similar symptom never develops.
The younger the child, the more serious are usually the reasons for the formation of headaches, especially those that have arisen against the background of full health. They need to be immediately clarified and eliminated.
Headache in a child: does it always indicate pathology?
Many organic and functional reasons have been identified for the appearance of headaches from early childhood, and such a complaint belongs to the ten most common complaints among preschoolers and schoolchildren. Of course, headaches are possible in young children, but they cannot describe them exactly, and sometimes doctors and parents have to recognize such symptoms on the basis of indirect signs.
If we talk about a child of preschool, and especially school age, then he can quite clearly and clearly describe his complaints about headaches. You can find out both the nature of the pain, and the localization, features of the symptom. After a short questioning, you can find out in what situation and after what events the pain arose, and if they are repetitive, than they are usually provoked. You can also check with children how their pain is relieved or completely disappears.
Attention!A special situation is adolescent headaches. They can arise due to the temporary dissonance of a growing and developing organism during puberty. But it is also important to take into account the fact that such pains can be attempts at simulation because it is a subjective symptom that is extremely difficult for parents and a doctor to evaluate.
For better understanding of all processes that can occur in the child's head, as well as facilitating the understanding of the causes of pain development and its origin, it is important to at least briefly disassemble certain anatomical and physiological foundations the structure and functioning of the head. So, the brain itself does not possess pain receptors, but there are a lot of them in all the formations surrounding it. All anatomical areas of the head have pain receptors that can form pathological impulses. The regions of the venous sinuses, cranial nerves and the zone of the cerebral membranes are rich in pain receptors, in addition, large vessels of the head, the periosteum or soft tissues in the region of the skull. In addition, all large vessels of the neck and facial tissues are equipped with pain receptors, which can also form pain impulses with reflected signals.
The perception of pain is formed due to irritation of the receptors by all kinds of chemical or physical impulses, excitement is formed and a stream of impulses is transmitted along sensitive fibers to the pain centers of the brain.
If only certain areas or zones are excited, then the pain is felt in the form of a local one, but if irritation is formed from large areas on the skull or internal structures surrounding the brain, there may be a feeling of a diffuse, general headache.
Headache: definition of the concept
From a medical point of view, headache is one of the most extensive and extensive concepts. It is called the scientific term "cephalalgia", but this definition can fall within its essence any unpleasant, subjectively uncomfortable sensation in the head area. Because of this, the concept of cephalalgia includes both a feeling of heaviness and mild pain, and the sharpest, sharp and excruciating pain sensations.
According to their localization, it is customary to classify sensations that arise throughout the entire area, starting from the brow ridges and up to the border, where the back of the head passes into the neck (the place where the skull is attached to the spine), are considered to be cephalgic pains.
In children, headaches are formed due to various reasons associated both with the bony formations of the skull themselves, and with its vessels or nerve endings and trunks, all the meninges, and its additional structures. Headaches may also form due to various violations in the area of the cervical spine, as well as disorders in the work of the shoulder girdle, pathology internal organs, tissues or the whole organism.
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It is important to emphasize that headaches are not diseases, they are just a symptom of pathologies and problems that have different causes and mechanisms of occurrence, but irritate the receptors in the head area (often also the neck) and give soreness, which is interpreted as headaches.
Types of headaches in childhood
Not all headaches are the same in their origin and manifestations. Therefore, it is customary for experts to distinguish two groups of headaches:
- If headaches are classified as one of the leading in clinical picture symptoms, or even the only complaints, and it is due to them that the child feels extremely bad, he has expressed ailments, then we are talking about pain ... This pain may be typical for different processes- microbial, viral infections. In addition, these types of pain are primary, typical for, cluster or cluster pain, or tension headache.
- if the headaches are one of the many other extremely unpleasant symptoms, they refer to ... Then these complaints are not considered leading in the clinic, they are regarded as a complex with all other manifestations, and they are typical for many pathological conditions and somatic diseases. Secondary headaches can be manifestations different types infections, febrile reactions, which will gradually disappear as the condition normalizes or the fever is eliminated.
If we talk specifically about secondary headaches, about two hundred reasons for their formation are known. Primary pains are much less, and they are usually more severe and pronounced.
Causes of children's cephalalgias
Of course, list all possible situations, in which headaches in children are possible, is practically unrealistic, since this manifestation can accompany almost any somatic and infectious disease, and is also a manifestation of many traumatic, hypoxic and toxic processes. In addition, it is important to understand that several processes can simultaneously provoke the development of pain, a combination negative factors and problems from the body, the impact of external influences and internal. But among the whole variety of processes leading to cephalalgia in childhood, the most frequent and strongly influencing causes can be distinguished.
The most common and frequently reported reasons for pain in childhood are:
- Consequences after bruises, falls or bumps
- Reactive reactions that arise in response to abrupt changes in environmental factors - temperature fluctuations, precipitation, or changes in the geomagnetic situation
- Secondary pains of a reactive nature, formed as a result of changes in the body of children against the background of the development of allergies, prolonged sleep or constant lack of sleep as a reaction to some medical manipulations
- Reactions to infectious agents, taking certain medications or dietary supplements, certain types products, as a consequence of dehydration or as a response to the problematic work of certain internal organs (kidneys, liver, heart).
- Pain sensations that form inflammation processes localized in the paranasal sinuses (ethmoiditis or pansinusitis)
- Pain arising from an overdose, which was applied without any indication for them
- Tension-related headaches, if children are severe against the background of prolonged mental stress, prolonged sitting in front of the monitor
- , which differ significantly in severity and duration, as well as the type of pain sensations, or cluster headaches that rarely occur in adolescents, which today have not yet been precisely clarified.
The occurrence of any complaints of a child about headaches, even minimal and not acute ones, localized in the temples, frontal zone or the back of the head, should be the reason for consulting a doctor, especially if there are no signs of a cold, somatic infections, and the headaches are repeated repeatedly.
Features of cephalgia depending on age
Headaches are possible in any age group of children, including newborns, but it is in the latter that these symptoms are most difficult to diagnose. This is due to a complex of nonspecific behavioral reactions in response to pain impulses and the inability to verbally express their feelings. It is often very difficult for the doctor and parents to determine the exact localization of pain sensations and their strength. There are certain age features in the development of cephalgia, and associated with the most typical reasons sensations:
In addition to age and the reasons for the development of pathology, it is also necessary to take into account the localization of painful sensations - the frontal region, temporal or occipital, as well as the time of onset, duration of sensations and their accompanying manifestations.
A variety of factors can play a role in the development of headaches in childhood, which include, in addition to all previously listed:
Various forms of headaches have their own specificity in the clinical picture and accompanying manifestations, as well as the peculiarities of the course depending on the age range, so it is worthwhile to analyze the most frequent types in more detail.
Tension headaches: what is special in children
This type of headache is functional, and one of the most common in childhood. This type of pain and discomfort occurs as a result negative influences on children, both acute stress factors and chronic, constantly influencing from day to day. Depending on age, stress factors can be attributed to various influences - too strong physical activity, disproportionate to age, overwork from noisy games and an abundance of guests, if it is a child of an early age, violent emotions and experiences (both negative and positive).
The mechanism of such pain, especially stress-related pain, is relatively simple. A process of active and pronounced contraction of muscle elements in the head area is formed. This is especially true for the vessels, which also contract. Located in the head area and cervical area vessels that, due to muscle contraction, come into a state of spasm, form irritation of pain receptors, as a result give a feeling of headache.
On average, the duration of such pains can range from a couple of hours to several days or even a week, it all depends on which of the factors affect the receptors. These pains are described as a feeling of tightness or tightness of the head in a hoop, sensation sharp pressure in the neck, temples or back of the head. At the same time, sensations can form inside the head, which are similar to the state of "wearing a helmet or helmet." The intensity of pain is not very high, in view of which the child retains working capacity and can perform daily activities, working capacity and psyche do not suffer, but the learning process and concentration of attention, behavior may suffer.
What is special about these headaches?
With them, painful sensations can increase with physical exertion or emotional experiences, and at the peak of the attack, nausea occurs with refusal to eat, intolerance to light and sounds, and increased pain from strong stimuli of the sensory organs.
In some cases, a similar headache can be triggered by a child being in a static position for a long time, especially during school hours. This may be due to the wrong choice of furniture for classroom and homework. The same kind of pain may occur in case of vision problems, due to the tension of the visual analyzer.
Vascular pain: features in children
To the brain of a child that consumes the largest number oxygen from all tissues of the body, worked actively and fully, he needs an uninterrupted supply of oxygen and nutrients for cerebral vessels... By virtue of various pathologies, dysregulation of vascular tone, prolonged stress or other factors, the vessels of the brain spasm or overstretch. As a result, blood either flows poorly to the brain, or flows out of it with difficulty, which leads to a disruption in the supply of oxygen. The brain sharply and sharply reacts to such changes, which forms headaches. Such problems are typical for schoolchildren and adolescents, which in the future can result in manifestations (VVD).
Changes in intracranial pressure: features of children
A change in the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid (this is cerebrospinal fluid circulating around the brain) is possible in normal conditions on the background physical activity and loads, with severe coughing and straining, when lifting heavy objects. Such temporary episodes do not manifest themselves in any way, and the pressure quickly comes to normal values... But if certain physiological values are exceeded, if symptoms of malaise occur, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to exclude serious pathologies and health problems.
The main symptoms include severe headaches in the morning with the formation of nausea and vomiting, these are the leading complaints of children. Against the background, the condition is always bad, but the deterioration occurs in the late afternoon or at night. Typical for intracranial hypertension is nausea resulting in nausea that does not relieve the condition and does not relieve pain.
Headaches with ICP are localized in the occipital region, are formed discomfort in the area of the eye sockets, which is formed due to excessive pressure on the orbital area. Against the background of such pain, anxiety and constant crying, as well as sleep and appetite disorders, will also be typical.
There may be headaches due to low intracranial pressure - this is formed against the background of intestinal infections or injuries, but up to five years old, such headache symptoms are difficult to determine, babies cannot accurately describe their feelings. You can indirectly guess about a similar symptom by the presence of apathy and drowsiness, lethargy and weakness, as well as bouts of dizziness or even loss of consciousness. The nature of the headaches is dull and pressing, they are usually localized in the occiput.
Headache with infectious pathologies
One of the typical manifestations of many infections is headache and malaise, which occur against the background of viral, microbial, or other types of infections. Often, these symptoms are formed in combination with other manifestations of diseases - fever of varying severity, pain in the throat, or, chills, attacks of nausea or vomiting. Based on the data of all these symptoms, in combination with the indication of contact with people with colds, it is easier to diagnose children, as well as to identify the cause of the pain in the head.
A special option is a headache against the background of meningococcal lesions with suspicion of. She is typical of kids in early age, in the first year of life, as well as in preschoolers and schoolchildren. Fever and the formation of a severe headache are typical, followed by vomiting, which has nothing to do with nutrition and will not bring relief to children. General state children are rapidly and progressively disturbed, due to changes in intracranial pressure and tissue inflammation, children take forced poses with bringing their legs to the chest and throwing their head back. This condition is especially dangerous if points appear on the skin of the body that look like needle pricks or bruises, asterisks.
Pathology of the nervous system in childhood
Frequent sharp and sharp headaches that have no other manifestations, are poorly controlled by analgesics and their symptoms are atypical for other problems, may be a sign masses in the cranial cavity or certain health disorders... To exclude such processes, it is necessary to carry out a computer or to assess visually anatomical formations in the region of the brain. They can give severe and excruciating headache, hemorrhages with the formation of hematomas, cystic cavities ,. They form a change in anatomy inside the skull, which threatens with a change in intracranial pressure. Typical manifestations of such problems are severe and excruciating headache with nausea and vomiting, as well as problems with the sensitivity of certain parts of the body, visual disturbances and epileptic seizures.
Pain in young children
It is impossible to accurately determine the presence of headaches in a baby at an early age, this is due to the fact that the child cannot speak and write his complaints in detail. May indirectly indicate health problems and headaches, such as anxiety and crying, sleep disturbances, provided that the child is fed, he is dry and not apparent reasons for annoyance. If all the reasons for the child's discomfort are eliminated, but at the same time he constantly cries, screams, a neurologist's consultation is necessary. There are certain indirect signs for which you can suspect headaches in babies:
- Screams and anxiety, prolonged crying intensify in the evening, increased screams when changing the position of the body, the transition of the crumbs from vertical to horizontal position and vice versa.
- Veins on the head swell strongly, bulging and very tense
- The sleep process suffers, the child falls asleep screaming or sleeps very badly both during the day and at night.
- There may be sharp cries, flinching, grunting.
- He can pull the arms to the head, pull his hairs
- There may be frequent regurgitation of large amounts of food, vomiting
- Loss of appetite up to a complete refusal to eat
- Often there is a fever, sweating
- The child is pale, sleepy, lethargic.
- There may be violations of muscle tone, stiffness of movements of the limbs and body with tilting the head
The causes of headaches at this age can be - the development of hydrocephalus, congenital defects of the brain and its vessels, cerebrospinal fluid spaces, intoxication and infection syndrome.
Headaches in babies from 2-3 to 5-6 years old
Children at this age can also suffer from headaches, but often they can already partially explain themselves and show the place where they have pain. But at the same time, all the symptoms will be general and relatively blurred, especially in the younger age group. Typical will be:
- Irritability and whims of the child, constant crying for any reason
- Attempts to put the head on the hands or knees of adults, rubbing the head, tugging at the hair
- The pallor and lethargy of the baby, refusal of noisy games and favorite activities, the desire to lie down
- Sleep and appetite disorders
- Attacks of nausea with vomiting, sweating, and dizziness
- The child points to the head and complains of pain, but cannot pinpoint the location or character.
The causes of pain at this age are usually infections, somatic pathologies, toxicosis, the consequences of head injuries and falls, tension pains associated with excessive emotional or physical stress, as well as pathologies of the nervous system.
Headaches in children over 6 years old
In children after 6 years of age, the characteristics of headaches are approximately comparable to those of adults, the child can already accurately and adequately assess the localization, strength and nature of the pain. At this age, the headache can be acute or chronic, paroxysmal or persistent. It can be a sign of various kinds of pathologies. Most often it can be infections and somatic pathologies, vascular pain as a manifestation of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD), as well as migraine or pain as a result of tension.
Less often, pain occurs as a result of inflammatory, tumor or traumatic lesions of the nervous system itself, which requires urgent consultation with a neurologist. There may be variants of psychogenic headaches during adolescence, which can be prolonged and persistent. They are provoked by family problems, stress, conflicts with peers.
What to do if a child has a headache?
Naturally, elimination of the cause of pain and treatment of the underlying disease in most cases leads to the elimination of an unpleasant symptom. But while the reasons are being clarified, or in the presence of extremely unpleasant symptoms of pain, you can help in alleviating the baby's condition. To reduce the intensity or completely eliminate the attack, the following are applicable:
Usually, such methods are enough to eliminate headaches, they disappear within a couple of hours. If the pain does not subside, but only intensifies, you should consult a doctor or call an ambulance. The reason for the ambulance will be severe excruciating and intolerable pain, vomiting and dizziness, inappropriate behavior of the child.
Important compulsory examination a baby at any age with:
- Constant and severe pain, the intensity of which is high and does not decrease with the usual pain relievers.
- episodes of pain occur more than once a month.
- have symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, mental problems, visual disturbances, problems with coordination or sensitivity.
- a rash appeared on the skin, high fever, convulsions, various neurological symptoms and throwing back of the head, convulsions. You need to call an ambulance immediately.
Diagnosis and treatment of cephalalgias in children
In each case, the diagnostic tactics and treatment measures will depend on the causes that provoke the pain. To do this, you need to contact a pediatrician or neurologist who will examine the baby, study all the complaints of himself and his parents, as well as data from life and medical history that can help in recognizing the causes of the pathology.
May be assigned to clarify true reasons very happy laboratory analyzes as well as radiography and contrast studies vessels, CT or MRI of the head and neck. Also, vessels can be used, or ultrasound of the brain (if these are young children), as well as all kinds of additional research, which will be necessary for the doctor to establish an accurate diagnosis.
Treatment is prescribed based on the cause that caused the attacks of cephalalgia.... If these are episodic tension pains, or seizures caused by overloads, some influences, you can do without medication - you need to change the daily regimen, reduce stress and proper rest, sleep of the child, his prolonged stay in the fresh air. Sedative and soothing teas and decoctions, infusions, rationalization of work and rest, rejection of prolonged static loads, TV and computer can help.
Alena Paretskaya, pediatrician, medical columnist
Many people think that headaches are specific to adults. However, in recent times children are susceptible to a similar ailment, especially in adolescence. If the discomfort is systematic and bothersome long time, you need to contact a specialist.
Head injury
The consequences of an unsuccessful fall may appear much later and affect the main organ of the central nervous system, expressed in dizziness, darkening in the eyes, loss of consciousness.
In infants, there is swelling in the fontanel area, while the baby can throw his head back, be capricious. Immediately after the injury, it is necessary to give the baby a light massage of the injury site and apply a cold compress there. If this condition is accompanied by pallor of the face, dizziness and nausea, a concussion can be suspected.
Neurological disorders
Discomfort in the face, which increases with touch and resembles an electric shock, may indicate inflammation trigeminal nerve... Pain syndrome as a result of pathologies of the cervical spine or viral ailments, for example, mumps, increases with head turns and coughing. With such violations, warming compresses (bags of salt, warm lotions from plantain or cabbage leaf), as well as UHF therapy. Pain relievers provide only temporary relief.
Mental disorders
The connection between the emotional state of the baby and his well-being has long been noticed. Family tension, stress and conflict are common reasons the occurrence of painful sensations.
The state of overexcitation caused by active and noisy games before bedtime can provoke a headache. In this case, the lungs help sedatives based on herbs, for example, peony tincture.
It is necessary to teach the kid to cope with their emotions, control behavior, manage fears. Show him some views breathing exercises and ways to relieve stress. 
Improper nutrition
A large number of eaten nitrites, preservatives, sodium chloride and nitrite, tyramine cause vasoconstriction in the brain. As a result, headaches in a child appear repeatedly and are accompanied by:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- loss of balance;
- upset stomach.
Below is a list of foods that need to be excluded from the child's diet:
- smoked sausage, sausages;
- some types of cheese;
- yeast baked goods;
- nuts;
- chips, fast food;
- sweet sparkling water;
- margarine;
- coffee and energy;
- chocolate bars;
- chewing gums and jelly candies;
- ketchup and mayonnaise.
Sometimes the causes of a throbbing headache are improper or inadequate nutrition of the mother during pregnancy, as well as a lack of vitamins. 
Vascular diseases of the brain
Blood pressure surges, including primary hypertension, can cause vascular spasms and circulatory disorders of the main organ of the central nervous system. This condition is noted due to drastic changes weather conditions, hereditary predisposition or insomnia.
The first aid method is chamomile or mint tea, which has a mild sedative effect. Symptoms, which are systematic, require medical advice.
Migraine
This neurological ailment is maternally transmitted and is due to inadequate production of serotonin. The pathology is characterized by a one-sided throbbing headache. In most cases, an attack is accompanied by nausea and loss of balance.
To avoid the development of migraines, the following guidelines must be followed:
- be in the sun more often;
- include in the diet foods rich in vitamin B, calcium, magnesium;
- do a light head massage;
- drink a drink made from viburnum or black currant;
- take juice of fresh potatoes or a decoction of St. John's wort 2 times a day.
External stimuli
Loud sound, bright light or harsh odor, or lack of fresh air render negative impact on nervous system child.
Babies cannot talk about painful sensations and become moody, often cry. To avoid this, parents should take care of comfortable conditions for their children: do not turn on the TV loudly, avoid the use of aromatic lamps with oils that have a pungent smell, and dim the lighting in the room.
Clinical manifestations
Vascular headache in autonomic dysfunction syndrome
Cephalalgia in a child can be triggered by an ANS disorder. Horse racing blood pressure, stretching of the walls of blood vessels, as well as a violation of their tone, entail an excessive flow of blood into the main organ of the central nervous system.
Often, a vascular headache worries in morning time and is accompanied by swelling of the lower eyelids, nasal congestion, sore throat, reddening of the capillaries, dilated vessels of the fundus.
Often vascular disorders associated with an increase or decrease in blood pressure. With hypertension, there is a feeling of squeezing in the head, nausea and loss of balance. Hypotension is expressed in pulsating cephalalgia.
Increase or decrease in intracranial pressure
Intracranial hypertension is characterized by a bursting headache. This is facilitated by an increase in the volume of fluid in the brain, which presses on the membranes of the main organ of the central nervous system and contributes to the compression of blood vessels. The pain can be aggravated by changing the position and turning the head and is accompanied by vomiting.
With reduced intracranial pressure, the baby may complain of blurred vision, darkening in the eyes, and nausea. Sometimes there is an increase in heart rate, frequent yawning, cold extremities.
Cephalalgia in infectious diseases
Unpleasant sensations in the head area caused by ARVI are accompanied by the following symptoms:
Diseases of an infectious nature include:
- flu, cold;
- angina;
- measles;
- rubella;
- viral mumps (mumps);
- scarlet fever;
- diphtheria;
- polio;
- chicken pox.
If you experience alarming symptoms, you should consult a specialist. Accurate diagnosis can only be delivered by a doctor.
Tension headache
This type of cephalalgia is considered the most common in junior schoolchildren... The causes of the onset of the disease are prolonged exercise, chronic stress, overwork, increased eye strain, excessive mental effort, as well as tension in the spine, provoked by an uncomfortable posture at the desk.
The nature of the pain is constricting, constricting. The duration of the discomfort ranges from half an hour to a week. At the peak of an attack, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and decreased appetite may occur. 
Migraine
In rare cases, neurological disease develops at an early age. Usually, the first symptoms are observed in adolescents and are expressed in a one-sided throbbing headache, which increases under the influence of excessive physical exertion. This condition is accompanied by increased sensitivity to external stimuli: bright light, loud sounds, or pungent odors... The exhausting sensation can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and last from 4 to 72 hours.
The reasons for the development of migraines in childhood are often:
Meningitis
This is a terrible disease resulting from inflammation of the lining of the brain. Factors of the onset of the disease are bacterial and fungal infections, viruses.
The disease begins suddenly: externally healthy baby the temperature suddenly rises to 39-40 degrees, accompanied by nasal congestion, but without a runny nose or any discharge.
Babies become lethargic, capricious, often cry and cannot calm down even in their mother's arms.
Older children have intense headaches. The condition is aggravated by vomiting, not dependent on food intake. A pink rash on the body, in the center of which black dots are visible, indicates damage to the internal organs. In this case, the child needs immediate hospitalization.
In meningitis, the symptoms can be described as bursting, spreading over the entire head, with increased sensitivity to touch. Often, there is tension and soreness in the muscles of the back of the head, in which it becomes difficult for the baby to tilt his head forward.
Another sign of meningitis is the involuntary bending of the legs in the supine position when the head is tilted.
Lesion of the trigeminal nerve
When the trigeminal nerve is squeezed or irritated, excruciating shooting pain appears, localized in the jaw and aggravated by the slightest touch. Unpleasant sensations are constant or intermittent. The disease can be suspected by the following signs:
- redness of the face;
- tearing;
- numbness or tenderness in the lips, eyes, or nose;
- involuntary twitching of the facial muscles.
Chronic headache
Cephalalgia, which occurs more often than 15 days a month, is called chronic. Basically, there are several types of such ailment, among which are migraine, tension headache, cluster cephalalgia. In most cases, the malaise is accompanied by increased fatigue, weakness, irritability, sleep disturbances.
Treatment of the chronic form of pathology depends on the diagnosis and provoking factors. Oftentimes, taking medication will eliminate the symptoms, but not the disease itself. On rare occasions chronic course the disease is provoked by the regular use of drugs.
Children prone to this form of cephalalgia should mandatory be registered with a neurologist.
Survey
When contacting a doctor with a complaint of a baby's headache, parents need to describe his condition as accurately as possible. The correctness of the diagnosis will depend on this. The specialist may ask the following questions:
- When did the pain first start?
- Have there been any head injuries?
- How often does discomfort occur?
- What is the nature of the pain?
- Where is the pain syndrome concentrated?
- Does the baby's emotional state change before the attack?
- Does he get tired at school, what kind of stress is he more exposed to (for example, does he attend a sports section)?
- Does the headache have other symptoms?
- Does your son or daughter have a good appetite, what foods prevail in the diet?
- Does the child complain of insomnia?
- How is pain eliminated?
- Do parents have any medical conditions?
Consultations of a therapist, neurologist, ophthalmologist and otolaryngologist are required. In some cases, the following are prescribed:
Dangerous symptoms
Below is a list of manifestations that you should pay special attention to:
- intense headache that started suddenly;
- changed nature of unpleasant sensations;
- increased discomfort in the morning;
- impairment of consciousness and memory, deterioration of brain activity;
- nausea, vomiting;
- painful sensations that appeared some time after a head injury;
- anxiety, nervous excitement, gratuitous crying in babies;
- dizziness, loss of consciousness;
- violation of coordination of movement;
- regurgitation and bad dream in infants;
- fatigue, lethargy, tugging at the hair (signs are noted in babies 1.5-2 years old).
Treatment
The following recommendations will help to improve the well-being of the child in the event of alarming symptoms:
A throbbing headache requires integrated approach to treatment, including the following:
- manual therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- taking a bath with sea salt;
- acupuncture.
If the doctor has prescribed medicine, in no case should you replace it with another drug. Most often, children are prescribed:
- "Paracetamol";
- Ibuprofen;
- Nurofen;
- "Nimesulide".
Prophylaxis
To avoid the development of a headache in a child, the following recommendations must be observed:
Outcome
The causes of headaches in children can vary. They can only be identified on an outpatient basis. However, it is important to remember that a lot depends on the parents themselves. To avoid serious consequences, you need to monitor the health of your children and consult a doctor in a timely manner.
If the child is healthy, he is unlikely to have a headache. But in some situations, headaches can still occur in healthy children. There are a great many reasons for its occurrence. This is one of 10 complaints, which is one of the ten most common complaints about which parents with children go to the doctor. This question is especially acute among adolescents.
Causes of headaches in children
Headache complaints can appear in children from about 5 years old, when the child is able to describe the sensations he is experiencing. In preschool age, headache occurs in 3-8% of children, and in adolescents, these numbers increase to 50-80%. In young children who cannot talk about their pain, there are a number of signs that can be used to determine if it is present.
All structures of the head - venous sinuses, cranial nerves, vessels, meninges, periosteum, soft tissues of the head, as well as large vessels of the face and neck have pain receptors. Receptors are cells that, by interacting with certain substances in the human body, are responsible for causing pain.
Headache in medicine is called the beautiful term "cephalalgia". Cephalalgia can be defined as any discomfort or feeling of pain in the head region, from the eyebrows to the back of the head. It occurs when pain receptors in the head or neck area are irritated. The impact on them can be caused by various factors, therefore, the symptom of a headache is most often not specific feature any one pathology, but is inherent in many diseases and conditions.
There are several types of headaches:
In the event that pain is the main and the only symptom diseases that bother the child speak of a primary headache. These headaches are not caused by viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms. These include migraines, tension headaches, and cluster (beam) pains.
Secondary headache is not the main one, but one of several symptoms arising from any common diseases or conditions. Secondary cephalalgias occur with many infections, with an increase in temperature, but they disappear as the temperature recovers and decreases. There are more than three hundred causes of secondary headache.
The most common ones are:
Pain after head injury (post-traumatic)
pain as a reaction to changes in the environment or in the body (reactive). There can be hundreds of such changes (allergies, lack of sleep or oversleeping, infections, medical intervention, dehydration, disease various bodies and systems, taking medications and much more)
pain with inflammation of the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis)
pain, as a reaction to taking an excessive amount of drugs (abusal). Usually, as paradoxical as it sounds, these drugs are drugs that relieve headaches.
Of the primary causes, migraines and tension headaches are most common in children. Sheaf pains are rare and only in adolescents.
Migraine in children
Migraine begins in adolescence, but it also occurs in 2-3 year old children. Often one of the parents of the child suffers from this disease. It is caused by a sharp narrowing and expansion of the vessels of the brain. Migraines are characterized by attacks of pain in one half of the head of a pulsating nature, accompanied by nausea or vomiting, light or sound fear, and aggravated by physical exertion. The attack usually lasts 4-72 hours and resolves after a short nap.
The occurrence of migraine attacks is provoked by the following factors:
- emotional stress
- physical exercise,
- fasting
- the use of cocoa, chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits, cheese, smoked meats, eggs, tomatoes, canned food, legumes, fatty and spicy foods, etc.
- cold water, ice cream
- drinking alcohol, smoking in adolescents,
- for girls, the phase of the menstrual cycle matters
- changing sleep patterns
- long ride in transport
- harsh light
- unpleasant odors
- prolonged viewing of TV programs
- weather changes
- common diseases and etc.
Tension headache in children
Tension headache is caused by sudden onset or persistent prolonged stress. This pain accounts for about 90% of all types of headaches. Mental stress is accompanied by a strong contraction of the muscles of the head and the vessels located in them, which leads to painful sensations... The duration of pain in this case is from 30 minutes to 7 days. It is characterized by a feeling of constriction, constriction, squeezing of the head like a "helmet" or "helmet". The child's daily activity continues, but the quality of his studies deteriorates. Exercise does not make the pain worse. At the peak of the attack, there may be nausea, lack of appetite, sound - or photophobia. Sometimes tension headaches can be caused by a child being in an uncomfortable position for a long time (school headaches).
Recently, articles began to appear that tension headaches in children are nothing more than chronic inflammation of the meninges, caused by a bacterium called streptococcus.
Bundle (cluster) pain in a child
Sheaf (cluster) pains are associated with irritation of a large cranial nerve called the trigeminal nerve. The pain is sharp, severe, boring, one-sided, paroxysmal, short, disturbing in the eye or in the temporal region. Duration from 15 minutes to 3 hours several times during the day, mostly at night. The accompanying symptoms are characteristic, such as: lacrimation, nasal congestion, sweating, drooping of the upper eyelid, constriction of the pupil and retraction of the eye on the affected side. Most often, cluster headaches are in boys.
It is very important to distinguish between acute and chronic pain. Acute pain occurs suddenly or recently and is severe. Recently - this means that no more than a week has passed since its appearance. However, if an acute headache persists for several hours, an urgent need to consult a doctor. This condition often requires urgent attention.
Causes of acute headache:
Extracranial infections
childhood infections (measles, parotitis, scarlet fever, rubella)
other infectious diseases (angina, sinusitis, infectious mononucleosis, influenza, malaria, tularemia)
ear infection
intestinal infections (salmonellosis, cholera)
worms (trichinosis)
tooth inflammation
inflammation of the paranasal sinuses
Intracranial infections: brain abscesses (presence of purulent foci), inflammation of the brain substance (encephalitis), inflammation of the meninges (meningitis)
Injuries: concussion, brain contusion
Mental stress: tension headaches for the first time
Mental illness: anxiety neurosis, depression
Vascular diseases:
extracranial
* high blood pressure
* adrenal tumor
* heart disease (heart defects, rhythm disturbances)
* kidney disease
intracranial
* migraine, first onset
* abnormal development of cerebral vessels (abnormalities)
* improper structure of arteries (aneurysm - pathological expansion of the vessel site)
* poor blood supply (ischemia) to the brain
Intracranial hemorrhage: in the meninges, in the brain
Increased intracranial pressure: brain tumor, cerebral edema
Taking and canceling medications:
* taking drugs that dilate blood vessels
* taking drugs containing amphetamine
* cancellation of medications containing caffeine
Contact and inhalation of toxic chemicals: benzene, nitrates, carbon dioxide, lead, dichlorvos
Other reasons:
* headaches after lumbar puncture
* benign exercise headache
*inflammatory diseases eye and visual impairment (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism)
* increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma)
* inflammation of the cranial nerves (neuritis and neuralgia)
Chronic headache in children
Chronic headaches occur intermittently over a long period of time, usually weeks, months, or even years. These include migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches.
There is a headache that is not associated with damage to the body. Pain can come from external pressure(prolonged scalp irritation when wearing tight, tight hats, headbands, swimming goggles). When exposed to cold (cold weather, wind, swimming, diving in cold water, cold food, cold drink, ice cream).
Examination of a child with a headache
When taking your child to the doctor, be prepared to answer a few questions. Try to reveal them as fully as possible, it depends on how quickly and accurately the doctor will diagnose.
You must know:
How long has the headache been on?
Were there any injuries?
Have there been such episodes of headache before?
What is it: permanent or periodic?
What characteristics does it have (pulsating, squeezing, bursting, dull, stabbing)?
In what part of the head is it concentrated (occiput, frontal region, temples)?
Double sided or single sided?
How strong is it (intense, light, medium)?
How long does a headache attack last?
Are there symptoms that warn of pain (harbingers)?
Is there a change emotional state before an attack?
What time of the year, of the day does the pain occur?
What is the accompanying headache (nausea, vomiting, photophobia, fear of noise)?
What causes a headache?
Does it get worse when climbing stairs, running, playing sports?
What relieves the pain or does it go away on its own?
Prepare to respond to general issues that a healthcare provider may be concerned about:
Does the child get tired after school day, does he have stresses (for example, anxiety about school assignments)? Does the child have a sleep deficit? Is he emotional? Do you often get physically tired? Does a headache occur when the weather changes, is it associated with the intake of any food (which)? How often have you had to skip school due to headaches in recent months? How often does a headache occur during school holidays? Does the child eat regularly, how much does he sleep? How much TV and computer work does he have? How intense and long are the lessons at school? Does he do extra after school?
It is necessary to tell the doctor about what diseases the parents and closest relatives in the family suffer from. Having received answers to these questions, it will most likely be possible to establish the cause of the child's headache.
There are some alarming symptoms that need to be shown to the doctor immediately if they appear. If acute pain occurs for the first time, and it increases in intensity, then the likelihood of having dangerous disease much higher. As a rule, this indicates a serious and may even be life-threatening disease (hemorrhage, inflammation of the meninges, tumor, inflammation of the brain).
The danger symptoms are:
Severe headache that starts suddenly
- Unusual headache pattern
- Changing the nature of the headache depending on the position of the head
- Having a morning headache
- The nature and frequency of recurrent headache attacks has changed, or they have become worse
- Headache is accompanied by impaired consciousness
- The headache appeared a few days or weeks after, at first glance minor injury heads
Small children, due to their age, cannot say what worries them, but the mother, knowing certain symptoms, may suspect that the child has a headache. In infants, it is manifested by excitement, gratuitous crying, sleep disturbances, profuse regurgitation, and vomiting in a fountain. The cry of these children is monotonous, suffering. The large fontanelle begins to protrude above the level of the bones of the skull.
Children 1.5-2 years old may show that it hurts, ask to lie down, may complain of fatigue. They stretch their arms to their heads, pull their hair, and scratch their faces. In newborns, the cause of headaches is birth trauma, which is manifested by increased intracranial pressure and the development of hypertensive syndrome.
The cause of cephalalgia in children preschool age there may be diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses, prolonged runny nose, adenoids, inflammatory ear diseases.
Reduced vision in the absence of glasses causes headaches in older children. Sometimes glasses are not fitted correctly or lens corrections are required, which also contributes to the onset of cephalalgia.
A common cause of headaches in children is common anemia (a lack of hemoglobin in the blood).
First aid for a child with a headache
If your child is worried about a minor headache, and it does not occur often, then you can help him with simple steps. It is necessary, if possible, to put the child to bed, create a quiet environment, put a cool damp cloth on his head and try to make the child fall asleep. If he is nervous, eleutherococcus, lemongrass will help. Tea with lemon - good remedy raising the tone of the child's life. Also useful is ascorbic acid, soothing herbs (valerian, motherwort). With migraines, you should try to avoid certain foods (chocolate, nuts, cheese) that can cause headaches.
If these methods do not help, then you can resort to medication. But most drugs that adults take are not used in children. Children on their own, without a doctor's prescription, can be given only the only approved pain reliever - Ibuprofen. For large children, these are tablets, for small children, a suspension or Nurofen suppositories. The dose of the drug depends on the weight. For 1 kg of weight, you need to give 5-7-10 milligrams of the drug.
For 10kg, that's 50 to 100 milligrams
For 12kg, that's 60 to 120 milligrams
For 15kg, that's 75 to 150 milligrams
For 20kg, this is from 100 to 200 milligrams, etc.
However, medications can only be used in last resort.
Before prescribing treatment for your child, the doctor will examine the child and tell you what kind of examination you need to undergo. Blood, urine, and stool tests are usually required. Then visit an ENT doctor, ophthalmologist, neuropathologist, infectious disease specialist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, psychologist, girls - a gynecologist and other specialists. X-ray examination may be required, CT scan... In especially difficult cases, according to the doctor's decision, it may be necessary hospital treatment where they will spinal tap(taking cerebral fluid for analysis).
In order for a headache to bother your child as rarely as possible, you need to try to create the most comfortable conditions for his life.
Prevention of headache in children
Observe the daily routine
Eat regularly
It's enough to be in the fresh air
Parents do not smoke indoors
Ventilate the room frequently
Do not burden with excessive mental stress
Create a favorable psychological environment in the family
Communicate with your child more often
Go swimming with him, go for a massage
Exercise and do morning exercises
Doctor pediatrician Sytnik S.V.
Deputy Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Psychoneurology of the Moscow Department of Health, Pediatric Neurologist, Doctor medical sciences
Why can a child have a headache? How alarming is this - and what health problems can it indicate? How can I help my child relieve pain? What tests are you most likely to be ordered to understand the cause of your headaches?
- Pediatric neurologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Deputy Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Psychoneurology of the Moscow Healthcare Department.
At what age can a child start to feel a headache?
A headache can appear in a child at any age - the question is whether he will be able to form this sensation into a specific complaint. Sometimes the child feels discomfort, but cannot clearly explain exactly where it hurts.
Usually, by the age of six or seven, a child can understand that he has a headache and complain exactly about a headache.
Why does the head start to hurt?
The phenomenon is always based on a violation of the blood supply to the brain. And here's why this happens - there can be a lot of answers to this question, for example:
Imperfection of vegetative body systems,
Beginning respiratory disease(prodrome),
The presence of any serious illness: kidney disease, endocrine disorder, anemia, rheumatism and others;
Toothache that provokes a headache;
Consequences of head trauma;
Excessive nervous tension associated with stress, hours of work, conflict, serious experience, etc.
The influence of the external environment: prolonged stay in a stuffy room, increased solar radiation, prolonged exposure to the sun, etc.
The head hurts in different ways. Is it possible to understand, depending on the complaints, what is the cause of the pain?
Pain in the back of the head. If a child, complaining of a headache, points to the crown and the back of the head - most often, we are dealing with a tension headache. It usually occurs in the afternoon, associated with posture, when the child is already quite tired: in spent a lot of time sitting during the day... Approximately a third of visits to a doctor with a complaint of a headache are due to this type of pain.
Tension headache is associated with overloading of the neck muscles. Invite your child to stretch their neck and shoulders, do gentle exercises, and lie on the floor to relieve tension from the back and neck.
Pain in the temples. Pain in the temporal region often indicates vegetative disorder... It is worth looking here individual method, but most often it helps either to rest in a well-ventilated area, or to take a short walk.
The forehead and top of the head hurt. This is usually pain in the first half of the day, and may be caused by increased intracranial pressure. If similar pain repeated systematically, you should consult a pediatrician, an ENT doctor and undergo additional examinations.
Half of the head hurts... This seems to be a manifestation of migraine: unfortunately, it can start at an early age. it sharp pain which occurs suddenly, at any time for and at night, and intensifies within 10-15 minutes from mild to almost unbearable. In this case, the most important thing is to stop the attack as soon as possible. If the child has already had migraines, it is best to give him the pain reliever as soon as he complains of increasing pain.
Situations when you need to be especially careful
The most alarming headache symptoms are nausea, vomiting, photophobia, hyperocusion (when sounds are irritating), hyperexcitability or lethargy. These are all signs serious violations, in which you need to be sure to show the child to a neurologist and undergo a series of examinations.
Do I need to call an ambulance at the time of an attack, urgently go to the hospital?
First of all, you need to try to relieve the pain: calm the child, put him to bed, give pain reliever, dim the lights and create silence. " Ambulance»Should be called if the attack is very severe and you cannot cope with it - but there is no need to hospitalize the child right at the moment of the attack for no particular reason.
How often can a healthy child have a headache?
Every person, including a child, can have a headache from time to time. Approximately 12% of schoolchildren miss 1 school day per month due to headaches. A mild headache 1 or 2 times a week in the afternoon is not too much of a concern. V puberty this is even partly the norm. If your child complains of a headache more than three times a week or every day, you should take a closer look at his condition.
Keep a headache diary. Whenever a child complains of a headache, note the date and time of the complaint so you can track the frequency of the complaint. Also, ask your child to rate the headache on a scale of one to ten. If the child is too young, use a visual scale.
After observing the headache for several weeks, you get a fairly complete picture. Take the diary to your doctor's appointment: this will greatly facilitate the process of making a diagnosis.
Download headache diary with instructions for filling out
Which doctor should you contact if you have a headache?
To the pediatrician- if the headache is accompanied by fever or other symptoms (difficulty urinating, rash, respiratory symptoms).
To the otolaryngologist- in order to exclude chronic pathologies and inflammatory diseases of the sinuses (sinuses). Sometimes it happens that, for example, due to a deviated nasal septum or an allergic rhinitis, the child has constant difficulty breathing and the brain does not receive enough oxygen.
To a neurologist who will look at the big picture and decide which studies to assign.
To the optometrist- in a direction from a neurologist, if the child is suspected of increased intracranial pressure. The oculist will conduct a fundus examination for the child.
What studies are prescribed for a child to identify the nature of the headache?
Doppler ultrasonography of cerebral vessels- to identify asymmetry or other abnormalities in the development of cerebral vessels.
X-ray of the cervical spine- to diagnose pathologies of the cervical vertebrae, which can also provoke headaches.
MRI, CT of the brain- if there is a suspicion of injury, swelling or something serious.
Can I wait for the headache to go away on its own? Do I have to take pills?
With a one-time headache, you can simply put the child to bed and give it a rest. But if the headache significantly affects the quality of life, if it is systematic, then you need to think about drug treatment.
If you have not been prescribed any special drugs, choose a drug with one of three active ingredients(indicate INN): ibuprofen, nimesulide, paracetamol (ranked in descending order of effectiveness). None of these drugs are addictive or serious. side effects with the right one-time admission. Calculate the dosage of the medication according to the age and weight of the child.
Please do not give your child other drugs that you may be using yourself. This could seriously harm his health.
If a child has a headache - is he tired?
It is possible, but not necessary. Try to limit the child's psycho-emotional stress and look at the reaction: if the frequency of headaches decreases, then your fears were justified. But the headache may not be associated with overwork, but with emotional overstrain: the child may not get tired, but he is worried a lot and this wears him out. This happens in children who have only recently gone to school. In this case, the task of the parent is, if possible, to remove the significance of school successes, to provide the child with psychological support. If we are dealing with a psychosomatic headache, then it is very important to let the child understand that his life and happiness do not entirely depend on how well he copes with new tasks.
Is it true that the head can ache from hunger? Is it right to relieve headaches with sweet tea or coffee?
Most often, hunger is not the cause of the headache, but the feeling of hunger itself is an emotion that affects the general well-being of the child and causes him discomfort. As for a sweet warm drink as a remedy for headaches, this is a completely adequate measure, however, you need to understand that tea or candy in this case plays the role of nothing more than a distracting therapy. We simply direct the child's attention from the headache to the meal. It can help here and now, but if the headache has a specific cause, then it is better to identify and begin to treat it, rather than distract.
One more nuance. If the headache is easily relieved by eating or drinking sweet drinks, then I would advise you to monitor your blood glucose level just in case. Your headaches may be related to a metabolic disorder.
- First, ask about the nature and location of pain.
- Secondly, to assess his condition and other complaints that were from the very beginning or appeared later.
- Thirdly, you will have to analyze his entire schedule during the week - from morning to evening.
The main causes of headaches
There are at least 50 reasons why children have headaches. They are conventionally divided into 3 types:
Primary cephalalgia- most frequent sight symptom in children. This includes migraine, tension headache, cluster pain. Those. is not dangerous reasons pain and are most often caused by overwork, dehydration, oxygen starvation, malnutrition or hunger, etc.
Secondary cephalalgia... They are divided into 8 groups:
- traumatic;
- diseases of non-vascular structures in the cranial cavity;
- infectious;
- caused by various substances, medications, as well as the termination of their intake;
- arising from violation normal composition blood;
- caused by a disease of the facial and cranial structures;
- associated with mental disorders.
Cranial nerve neuralgia, facial pain, other cephalgic syndromes.
In order not to overload you with information, we will carry out such a classification. Let's divide the reasons due to which the child has a headache into diseases:
- benign, which rarely lead to life-threatening conditions.
- needing urgent action assistance that could lead to serious complications if you do not start diagnostics within 24-48 hours.
- requiring urgent (in the coming minutes) measures are directly life-threatening.
Causes of "non-dangerous" headache
These diseases are the most common cause of cephalalgia in a child. This includes:
- tension headache;
- cluster headache;
- cephalalgia with intoxication;
- taking certain heart medications;
- headache associated with inflammation of the trigeminal nerve;
- pain caused by short-term intoxication (for example, when inhaling the smell of some flowers, fumes from wood chips, plastic, carpets). Usually in this case.
If a child often complains of a headache that is not accompanied by a rise in temperature, assess the conditions when it occurs:
Migraine - this is when the headache:
- passes after sleep;
- develops after the student has not had time to eat in the morning or at school;
- appears after a lack of sleep or physical activity;
- may develop after eating chocolate, nuts, cheese, citrus fruits;
- occurs "in the weather";
- felt in half of the head - in the forehead and temples, around the eye, can begin in the occipital region, then move on to the temple and forehead;
- appears after an attack of weakness, bad mood, hypersensitivity to sounds and smells, weakness in the limbs, "flies", goose bumps, distortion of the shape of objects;
- coincides with menstruation.
In younger children, migraine develops more often in the second half of the day, with the first attacks, the head hurts on both sides. After puberty, attacks develop in the morning, affecting one half of the head.
Tension headache - This is pain of a pressing or squeezing character, felt on both sides of the head. Feeling such pain, the child will say that "it was as if a tight hat or helmet was put on his head." This symptom appears:
- after excessive workload at school;
- after a long stay in a stuffy room;
- after emotional stress, for example, after the control;
- after sitting at a table or at a desk for a long time in an uncomfortable position;
- after a long "conversation" with gadgets.
Tension headache is not aggravated by physical exertion - only by mental. Therefore, there is even a separate term "pain on September 8": when a child who was resting on vacation returns to school, then by the eighth day increased loads his head starts to hurt.
Cluster headache Is another diagnosis. Its characteristics are as follows:
- she is strong;
- felt on one side of the head - always;
- repeated in the form of seizures lasting 15-180 minutes - no more;
- attacks go one after one with a certain frequency (from several weeks to several months);
- after a series of attacks, a period of calm ensues;
- accompanied by anxiety, aggression;
- at the same time, half of the nose is always blocked or, conversely, a lot of snot comes out from one nostril;
- during an attack, sweat is released on one side of the forehead and face;
- the eye reddens on the side of the headache.
Children who suffer from this type of cephalalgia usually have an athletic build. Doctors note that they have and common feature character: indecision in making decisions.
A short video on the causes of headaches in children
Komarovsky's video "Why does a child often complain of a headache"
Diagram of the main causes of headache, depending on the location
Causes of headaches, depending on the location. Click 2 times to enlarge.
Causes of headache requiring urgent diagnosis
Here we include conditions such as:
- sinusitis;
- scoliosis of the cervical spine;
- Arnold-Chiari syndrome;
- leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (liquorrhea) through the nose or ear, when the cause of cephalalgia is too low intracranial pressure;
- idiopathic (for unknown reasons arisen) increase in intracranial pressure.
When there is no time to waste on diagnostics at home
- Stroke . Everyone heard that he is now "younger." It is true: doctors diagnose hemorrhages in the subarachnoid space and blood soaking of the brain matter even in infants. Sometimes this happens as a result of a head injury, sometimes it happens spontaneously, if there are incorrectly connected vessels inside the skull, and the child is also nervous.
- Meningitis No less terrible diagnoses accompanied by cephalalgias are meningitis and encephalitis. And they are often not accompanied by some kind of skin rash.
- Brain tumors. Quite rare in childhood, but a brain tumor may develop. It can grow and compress adjacent structures, causing a gradual increase in intracranial pressure. The tumor can disintegrate - then symptoms appear that do not differ much from a stroke.
- Occlusive hydrocephalus- a condition when the cerebrospinal fluid cannot normally leave the cranial cavity, and overflows the ventricles of the brain.
- Dissection of the wall of the vertebral or carotid artery.
- Vascular diseases: thrombosis of one of the venous sinuses, moyamoya disease, vascular anomalies, vasculitis.
- Arterial hypertension, including malignant (when the pressure almost does not decrease under the influence of drugs).
- Hypoxia is a condition when there is not enough oxygen in the blood. Acute hypoxia develops against the background of acute pneumonia, tissue poisoning (including cyanide), heart disease. Chronic - with chronic heart and respiratory diseases, heart defects, bronchial asthma.
- Hypercapnia - an increase in the amount carbon dioxide in blood. It is possible in case of poisoning carbon monoxide, bronchostatus (severe attack bronchial asthma), panic attack.
- Traumatic brain injury.
All these diseases should be noticed as early as possible. And immediately call a doctor.
Focus on the following symptoms:
- a sharp headache (as if struck with a dagger) or one that picks up maximum intensity in less than a minute;
- delirium, inadequacy;
- when the head hurts and nausea, most often, with an increase in temperature, usually after a cold;
- "Flies" before the eyes;
- cramps against a background of headache, which can occur both with and without elevated temperature;
- drowsiness against a background of headache;
- slurred speech;
- severe headache: the child lies in a forced position, does not show enthusiasm for offers to play, watch cartoons;
- asymmetry of the face;
- severe hearing or vision impairment;
- weakness in the limbs on one side up to their paralysis;
- the appearance of any rash on the body in combination with a headache;
- cephalalgia against the background of symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, wheezing when breathing, disturbance heart rate, chest pains, a feeling that the heart is "overturning";
- headache after head injury or stress;
- if the head constantly hurts, while the child has lost weight for no reason;
- cephalalgia increases in a certain position, as well as when coughing, straining, sneezing.
Determine the cause of pain by the leading symptom
Let's highlight the main symptom that will give you an idea of what disease you are most likely to encounter:
| No temperature | With temperature |
In the forehead |
|
With intoxication Then it appears against the background:
|
Frontitis: begins to hurt in the frontal part against the background of a cold or after it. Cephalalgia worse when bending forward |
|
Intracranial hypertension. Very strong, bursting character, gives off to the temples, sometimes to the eye area Aggravated by running, tumbling, prolonged sun exposure, head-down bending It is accompanied by vomiting: at first after ingestion of food, medicine, liquid, then arising on its own, without nausea |
|
Head and eyes hurt |
|
|
Migraine It captures half of the head, is located in the forehead and temples, around the eye, can start in the occipital region, then move on to the temple and forehead. Important: the side of pain changes with attacks. If it always hurts on one side, rule out a brain tumor! |
Sinusitis: frontal sinusitis, spheno- or ethmoiditis; possible inflammation of several sinuses at once (pansinusitis) The pain syndrome is especially strong on waking, aggravated by bending, shaking the head, blowing your nose |
|
Cluster cephalalgia Strong, always in the same direction, accompanied by anxiety, aggression. It is accompanied by nasal congestion or runny nose, sweating of the forehead / face, lacrimation, redness of the eye. Lasts 15-180 minutes. |
Influenza, less often other acute respiratory viral infections Accompanied by aching muscles, bones, runny nose |
|
Paroxysmal hemicrania Pain sensations are localized on one side, last 2-30 minutes, accompanied by reddening of the eye, nasal congestion on the side of pain, sweating of the forehead and face - on the side of cephalgia. It differs from cluster cephalalgia only in the short duration of the attack |
Meningitis This is a severe headache, accompanied by nausea outside meals, and sometimes a rash. Occurs mainly after symptoms of a cold |
|
Short-term unilateral neuralgic pain They have the same symptoms - eyelid redness, nasal congestion / runny nose, eyelid swelling from the side of pain - as in cluster syndrome and paroxysmal hemicrania. The difference from them is that all attacks are different in time. |
|
|
It is characterized by a tingling sensation, lasts a few seconds, may appear as one injection or several injections |
|
|
Myopia The child does not see well what is written on the board. Cephalalgia occurs after a day of hard work at school |
|
|
Inflammatory eye diseases (iritis, iridocyclitis, herpes zoster in the trigeminal nerve) Lachrymation, pain when opening the eye, in connection with which it constantly tries to close, swelling of the eyelid |
|
|
Asthenopia It starts to hurt after a long load of the organ of vision: reading, watching cartoons |
|
|
Glaucoma attack The eye not only hurts, it feels pressure. After that, cephalalgia may begin, which is accompanied by the appearance of "flies", blurred vision, vomiting, decreased heart rate, chills |
|
Pain in the temples |
|
| Cluster cephalalgia |
Purulent otitis media The pain extends to the ear, discharge is noted from it. Shooting, stabbing, throbbing pain |
| Paroxysmal hemicrania |
Mastoiditis The pain began in the ear, captured the temporal and parietal regions. There is swelling and redness below the ear |
|
Tension headache May be accompanied by pain in the heart, abdomen, joints. It is combined with the appearance of fear, a feeling of fatigue, disturbed sleep and appetite |
|
| Primary stitching headache | |
The back of the head hurts |
|
|
Hypertension Pain appears after stress, overexertion, negative emotions May be accompanied by nausea, noise in the ears or head, and the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes |
Meningitis, encephalitis |
|
Decreased intracranial pressure Localized in the crown and occiput. Increases with jumping, coughing, walking, increases during the day It becomes easier when lowering the head down, bending the head forward, lying without a pillow |
|
| Cervical scoliosis | |
My head hurts and dizzy |
|
|
Basilar migraine Occurs in girls of senior school age. Manifests itself as throbbing pain with impaired vision, tinnitus, staggering, creepy hands and feet, dizziness |
Meningitis The headache is severe, accompanied by nausea. Occurs in the background or after a cold |
| Tension headache | Any infectious disease with severe intoxication |
Headache and nausea |
|
| Migraine | Any infectious disease accompanied by intoxication: tonsillitis, pneumonia, sinusitis |
|
Abdominal migraine - pulsating paroxysmal pain midline belly. Their intensity is medium. Duration - from 1 hour to 3 days. Is accompanied by nausea, vomiting Observed at the age of 5-10 years |
Meningitis In this case, the pain is very strong. |
| Tension headache | |
Stomach and head ache |
|
| Migraine |
Intestinal infection, accompanied by intoxication Most likely there must be diarrhea and / or vomiting |
| Abdominal migraine |
Enteroviral meningitis It occurs in August-September, most often - after a trip to the sea. May be accompanied by diarrhea |
First aid for children with headaches
- ventilate the room more often;
- put a sandwich, cookies and an apple in his school;
- make sure that he does not sit at gadgets;
- immediately after waking up to do gymnastics, jogging;
- make sure that he sleeps at least 9 hours a day;
- be sure to feed him fresh vegetables and fruits daily.
If an attack occurs, use simple recipe: Make the child a quiet and darkened room, put a damp cloth soaked in cold water on the forehead. The child will sleep and feel better. Just make sure there are no dangerous symptoms first.
What can children do for headaches? The only pills for children with headaches are "Ibuprofen" and "Paracetamol". Nothing else can be taken without a doctor's prescription. Even if you are sure that he has a migraine, it is very dangerous to give drugs with ergot alkaloids without medical permission!
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