Causes of migraine in infants

• May 5, 2024

There is nothing more distressing than seeing a child in pain. In the case of childhood headaches, experts believe that children suffer the same type as adults and that it can be hereditary.

For pediatricians of the Nemours Children's Foundation, headaches are often brief and caused by simple causes such as lack of sleep, playing in the sun for too long or having a blow to the head. However, sometimes headache they last longer or are accompanied by other symptoms.

The causes are many and there are different levels of severity. Therefore, it is important to distinguish if a headache is a temporary inconvenience or, on the contrary, is something more serious and requires medical treatment .

Origin of headache in minors

Nemours pediatricians point out that most migraines originate outside the skull, in the nerves, blood vessels and muscles that line the head and neck. The muscles or blood vessels may become inflamed or may experience other changes that stimulate or put pressure on the surrounding nerves. These nerves send a bombardment of pain messages to the brain, which causes the headache.

The most frequent types in the child population are the tension headache and migraine.

Tension-type headache in small

Although it is rare in children, it is also known as muscle contraction headache It is caused by the tension in the muscles of the neck and head. This may be due to various stressors, both psychological and physical.

The pain It is usually described as a constant pressure around the frontal, superior and lateral parts of the skull, and a feeling similar to having an elastic band tightened around the head. One of the main differences between tension headaches and migraines is that they are not accompanied by nausea or vomiting, and usually do not worsen with physical activity, which usually occurs with migraines.

Migraines for children

Often triggered by factors such as stress , the Lack of sleep and certain foods and beverages, migraines can cause symptoms such as a throbbing pain in one or both sides of the head, dizziness, upset stomach, nausea and / or vomiting, see black spots or halos, sensitivity to light, noise and strong smells.

Most migraines last between 30 minutes and 6 hours, although some may last as long as a couple of days. The experts of the Nemours Foundation recommend go immediately to the doctor If the child has unexplained or recurrent headaches for a short period of time or regularly.

Video Medicine: Kids Migraines- What a Pain! (May 2024).