Overview of headaches in children

Introduction to headaches in children

Children get headaches, usually, for the same reasons that adults get them. Tension headaches are the most common types of headaches, and they are caused by tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulders and head, which in turn is caused by keeping these muscles in the same position for a long period of time. This can result in children to tend to play a lot of video games or spend too much time on the computer.

Headaches in children can also be caused by stress, especially because of difficult situation that the child is experiencing in school and among their peers.

Fever and congestion that stems from the flu or a common cold is another common cause of headaches.

A headache can by caused by any type of infection that is related to colds in children, and can stem from pain in the eyes, nose, throat, teeth and hears.

Coughing excessively, being hungry, being tired and taking some forms of medication can also cause a person to have a headache.

However, headaches can also come as the result of more major and significantly more serious conditions.

If a bacterial or fungal infection occurs around the spinal cord it can cause a very strong headache. This type of infection is called meningitis.

As far as other serious medical conditions are concerned, headaches can also be caused by brain tumors.

Sometimes a child will develop migraine headaches, which is a hereditary condition sometimes that comes form the genetics of the parents.

Pains in the head can also be experiences after an injury to the head, which will also include symptoms such as disorientation and vomiting and can lead to serious brain damage if the blow to the head was severe enough.

Symptoms

When the pain caused by a headache is mild, there is no real way to describe it, but it is uncomfortable and the child will probably be irritable when they have a headache. Expect them to cry and sometimes vomit as well.

Tensions headaches will most likely not begin to occur in children until they are at least ten years old because this is the time when they begin interacting more with their peers and this is when tension from school and social issues builds up.

Sometimes chi8ldren describe the pain of a tension headache as having a very tight elastic band wrapped around their heads.

They might also complain of muscle soreness and tightness.

When a sinus infection is causing the headache, then the pain usually occurs on the side of the head and near the nose, where the sinuses are located.

When a child is having headaches that are caused by some type of problem with their vision, they will usually experience pain in their eyes. Treatment

The treatment depends on the cause of the headache. Mild headaches can be treated with ibuprofen and mild painkillers, while tension headaches need to be treated by finding the source of the tension and dealing with it. If eye problems are causing the headaches, then the child needs an eye examination and will probably need to wear glasses or undergo eye surgery in order to remedy the problem.