Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPediatric Migraines: Kids Under 10Medication OptionsLifestyle ChangesIdentifying SymptomsPediatric Migraine TriggersFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Pediatric Migraines: Kids Under 10
Medication Options
Lifestyle Changes
Identifying Symptoms
Pediatric Migraine Triggers
Frequently Asked Questions
There are safe and effective treatment options that can improve your child’s migraines. Symptoms ofchildhood migrainesinclude headaches, vomiting, stomach aches, irritability, and fatigue.Parents and children might not always recognize the effects of a migraine, but treating these episodes at an early stage can help alleviate hours, or even days, of pain and discomfort.
After you and your child discuss the symptoms with your child’s pediatrician, you can agree about what to do when a migraine occurs. If the migraines are frequent, you may need to discuss a preventative strategy as well.
Verywell
Migraines can begin as young as preschool age. About 3% of preschoolers are diagnosed with migraines.Migraines occur in about 4-11% of elementary school age children.
In children 10 years of age and younger, it is more common for migraine to be diagnosed in boys than girls. Typically, migraine symptoms start in late afternoon in this age group. This age group also tends to have head pain in the front of the head or on both sides.
Tweens and Teens
About 8-15% of high school age children are diagnosed with migraines.Migraines typically occur more often in boys until puberty; once puberty hits, girls have more migraines than boys. The hormone fluctuations in girls during puberty is likely why girls are more often diagnosed with migraines than boys in this age group.
As children enter the tween/teen stage, migraines tend to occur earlier in the morning. Unlike in younger children, the migraine head pain tends to be more intense in a focused area, usually one side of the head.
There are a number of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications used for migraine treatment and prevention. Most kids improve with OTC treatment, but sometimes, a prescription is necessary to manage the symptoms.
Over-the-Counter
If your child complains of occasional head pain, you may have tried OTC pain relievers already. These, along with anti-nausea medications, are commonly used for childhood migraines. Before giving any medication, talk to your child’s doctor about what medicines and dosages are appropriate for children their age. Never assume it’s safe to give your child a lower dose of your own medication.
Children’s doses of OTC medications are typically based on weight.Carefully read the instructions included on the box and use any included measuring cups for liquid formulations.
There are two types of OTC medicine commonly used to treat headaches in children. These include:
Ginger may also be helpful as a treatment for migraine nausea. Try incorporating ginger chews or ginger tea into your child’s diet to relieve stomach upset or nausea during or right before a migraine. Talk to your child’s pediatrician for more details.
Avoid AspirinAspirin is not recommended for children and teenagers because it can cause a serious complication known asReye’s syndrome, which damages the liver and the brain. Always read the box, as aspirin is an ingredient in many OTC migraine medications.
Avoid Aspirin
Aspirin is not recommended for children and teenagers because it can cause a serious complication known asReye’s syndrome, which damages the liver and the brain. Always read the box, as aspirin is an ingredient in many OTC migraine medications.
Prescription
If your child’s migraines do not improve with OTC pain medications, it may be time to consider prescription options. Some prescription medications are used for the treatment of migraine episodes, while a few can be used for migraine prevention.
If your child is having frequenttension headachesor migraines, their headaches may be considered chronic.This could be due to medication overuse. Overuse of some OTC painkillers can actually cause headaches. It may be worthwhile to discuss the idea of a preventative medication instead of frequently treating headache pain with OTC painkillers.
Rebound Headache: What to Know and How to Break the Cycle
If your child has four or more migraines a month that cause disability, such as missing school or other activities, this could be another reason to consider preventative management.
Prescription options include two classes of medications: abortive (used during an active migraine attack) and preventative (used to try and stop a migraine before it starts):
Abortive medications:
Preventative medications:
If your child is experiencing chronic, debilitating migraines, then you should work with your child’s doctor to weigh the risks and benefits of prescription migraine treatments. If your child is at risk of falling behind in school or social activities, prescription medication may be worth the risk.
The first step with addressing migraines is often to identify what triggers might be causing migraine symptoms. Once it is understood what triggers can cause a migraine, avoiding the trigger(s) can reduce the intensity and duration of a migraine.
There are several methods that can be used to address migraine symptoms before considering medication management:
Timing
Taking the medication right at the start of the symptoms is the best way to prevent a migraine attack from worsening.Your child may need to talk to the teacher and go to the school nurse if symptoms begin during school.
It is worthwhile for you to talk with your child about the various symptoms that occur with their migraines. Try to identify the earliest signs. Some children experience aprodromal stagebefore a migraine reaches its peak.Symptoms during the prodromal stage can include:
Over time, your child can learn to recognize these and seek treatment as early as possible.
Avoiding Triggers
Medications can only do so much. Identifying and avoiding migraine triggers is an essential part of a complete migraine treatment and prevention plan.
Paying attention to these migraine triggers can often alleviate the need for medication in the first place. Common triggers include:
Unless you find a specific dietary migraine trigger, putting your child on a restrictive diet is not a good idea and should not be done without consulting with their doctor. Kids can be pretty picky about food, and unnecessarily eliminating foods “just in case” won’t prevent migraines.
Common Food Triggers of Migraines
A Word From Verywell
Be sure to discuss your child’s symptoms with their doctor before concluding that they are migraines. Some children have allergies, anxiety, or even medical problems that can manifest in the same way as migraines. Once migraines are diagnosed, you can focus on managing and preventing the episodes.
Talk to your pediatrician if your child’s migraines worsen, change, or if your child develops new symptoms.
Typical symptoms of a migraine include head pain, increased irritability or moodiness, sensitivity to light or sound, and a loss of appetite with associated nausea and vomiting. If your child exhibits these symptoms for long periods of time and more than a couple of times a month, it is recommended to have your healthcare provider evaluate your child for possible migraines.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Coon ER, Quinonez RA, Morgan DJ, Dhruva SS, Ho T, Money N, Schroeder AR.2018 Update on Pediatric Medical Overuse: A Review.JAMA Pediatr. 2019 Apr 1;173(4):379-384. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5550. PMID: 30776069.
Rastogi RG, Borrero-Mejias C, Hickman C, Lewis KS, Little R.Management of episodic migraine in children and adolescents: a practical approach.Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep.2018;18(12):103. doi: 10.1007/s11910-018-0900-0
Saito Y, Yamanaka G, Shimomura H, et al.Reconsideration of the diagnosis and treatment of childhood migraine: A practical review of clinical experiences.Brain Dev.2017;39(5):386-394. doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2016.11.011
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