There are a number of common reasons why a child may suffer from headache, some of these include sinus or viral infections affecting the ears and respiratory system. Also, children who are in stressful situations where they feel unable to cope may be prone to headaches.
Another common cause which may contribute to a child's headache is allergy and sensitivity to certain food items. In rare instances headache in children can be a symptom of a more serious problem.
Migraine can strike in children
More than half of the adult migraineurs (migraine sufferers) report that they had their first headache as a child. Of children with migraine, it's estimated that about a third get their first attack before the age of 5. We know that children as young as 2 deal with migraine, and possibly even infants, although we still don't understand exactly how infants interact with pain.
Pain Relievers and Children
Your five-year-old complains of a headache. What do you do? How does the medical profession recommend you treat your child's ailments and pains? With so many choices in the analgesic (painkiller) market today, choosing a pain relief medication can be a difficult and confusing task.
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen, known best by its brand names of Tylenol and Panadol, relieves mild pain and reduces fever. According to Dr. Leora Kuttner, author of A Child in Pain: How to Help, What to Do, ?Scientists still do not know exactly how it achieves both peripheral and central pain relief.? But what they do know is that this pain killer is helpful to children who are teething, who have colds and/or influenza, sore throats, sinus pressure and fevers 102 degrees Fahrenheit and below.
Treatments
There's no reason to panic if you think your child may have migraine. Even if you've struggled with migraine for years yourself, treatments for your child may be different and more effective.
Don't assume that your medication will work for your child. Many adult drugs have not been tested for children and are not known to be safe. The same goes for natural therapies.
