Things that trigger migraine differ for each person. However, some common migraine triggers in children and adolescents include: Stress – especially related to school (after school activities, friends, bullying) and family problems. Carefully reviewing what causes stress can help determine what stress factors to avoid.
Headaches in children are common and usually aren't serious. Like adults, children can develop different types of headaches, including migraines or stress-related (tension) headaches. Children can also have chronic daily headaches.
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) can typically relieve headaches for your child. They should be taken at the first sign of a headache. Children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin.
There are times during a teen's development that migraines may develop. Boys going through puberty experience migraines more often than girls going through puberty. Yet teen girls past puberty experience migraines more regularly than boys of the same age.
Signs and symptoms of migraines
Toddlers and young children may experience headache with nausea/vomiting and they may go pale quite suddenly. Older children and teenagers experience more adult-like migraines. The symptoms commonly include a headache, which lasts six to 12 hours, and may be: severe.
Common triggers include stress (good or bad), certain foods, skipping meals, sleeping too much or too little, changes in weather or barometric pressure, hormonal changes, concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
Migraines can be triggered by growth spurts, by stress, lack of sleep, loud sounds and bright lights, physical activity, and changes in weather. They can also be triggered by foods, including nitrates found in hot dogs and pepperoni, food additives common in snack foods, and cheese.
People who aren't hydrated have a higher risk of heat exhaustion and other heat illness. Dehydration can trigger (cause) a migraine headache. If you get migraines, it's essential to drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated may help you prevent a migraine attack.
Students with migraines may need to: miss school and other activities until they feel better. go to the nurse to take medicine or lie down in a quiet, dark place until symptoms ease. carry a water bottle to stay hydrated.
Your child should see the GP if: the headaches are getting worse. they are having a headache more than once a week. the headache wakes your child from sleep or the headache is worse in the morning.
Low iron can cause the brain to receive less oxygen than needed for optimal functioning, leading to headaches. Iron deficiency anemia can also cause migraines, mostly in menstruating women. If you have frequent or recurrent headaches, it can be a symptom of iron deficiency anemia.
Migraine Dietary Triggers
Commonly reported migraine triggers to include alcohol (especially red wine and beer), chocolate, aged cheese, cured meats, smoked fish, yeast extract, food preservatives that contain nitrates and nitrites, artificial sweeteners, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Caffeine can provide relief for a headache.
This increase blood flow pressures surrounding nerves, which send pain messages to the brain. This brings on the headache. Caffeine has vasoconstrictive properties, meaning that blood vessels narrow to restrict blood flow, thereby alleviating the pain.
The two tests used the most for headache are a CT scan (computed tomography) and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). An MRI shows better detail than a CT scan. An MRI does not expose the child to radiation. An MRI can take over an hour to complete.
Pre-pubescent girls and boys get headaches at the same rate. However, they occur more often for girls once they reach puberty and their menstrual cycle begins, and headaches only level off again after menopause.
These headaches are described as being dull and are usually felt on both sides of the head and in other cases at the back and front as well.
Migraine peaks in adults of middle age.
Migraine is most commonly diagnosed in people between 25 to 55 years old, with some experts noting its peak between 30-39 years of age. It is at this time that it starts to decline every decade thereafter, although the impact is no less felt by patients.
Common triggers include aged cheeses and meats, chocolate, citrus fruits, red and yellow food dyes, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and the artificial sweetener aspartame. Too much caffeine and spicy foods can also trigger migraines, but sometimes help headaches because they act as vasodilators and expand blood vessels.