6 Yr Old with Migraine

Updated on December 02, 2008
M.L. asks from Petaluma, CA
27 answers

Hi my son has been complaining of a headache since last Thursday. It all started with him finding out that our cat was hit by a car that morning and had died. He took it hard and cried a lot. We took him to the park that afternoon to play with a friend and to just kind of blow off steam and he was find. Around dinner time is when he started saying that his head was hurting and he didnt have much of an appitite. Friday he was fine and went to school, Friday night same thing his head was hurting. Saturday he woke early and ended up falling asleep around 8:30am and woke at like 9:45am. All that day he was tired and not a lot of energy and said that head hurt. That evening we went to dinner and he said his head still hurt even after tylenol and ended up not eating and falling asleep in the restaurant. In between dinner and leaving he said 3 times that he need to get sick but did not. Sunday same thing..etc..Monday same and now throws up and sleeps most of the day, I took him to the chiropractor because his head was still hurting and his neck hurt a little (which happens to me when I have a migraine. After he feels better until that evening, and he gets sick again. Now we are into Wednesday and hes still not good and hes not eating, he throws up much of what he eats and he only drinks when hes awake. Migraines run in my family with my mom being the worst. I just dont know waht to do anymore, especially since hes not eating or drinking well and just doesnt seem to get much relief. Needing advice from moms who have had kids with same problem and some relief advice.

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So What Happened?

Hi all thanks for all of your input. Wednesday my son woke and was a little sleepy for about 1/2 of the day and then from about lunch time on and since then hes been fine like nothing ever happened. I am certain it was a migraine and will keep track if he has another episode in which I will take him to his Dr. to talk about how to manange them before they happen. I also found out that maigraines in chilren who have a family history history of them like mine are actually very common so I will be doing more research on that as well. Thank you again.

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G.P.

answers from San Francisco on

Number one migrane solution: DRINK ENOUGH WATER. FRESH, HEALTHY SPRING WATER. (not tap) Water will make headaches go away. Headaches are brought on emotionally by guilt and feeling low self worth. THEREFORE why does he think it is his fault the cat died? Ask him that. Comfort him that it is not his fault, he is not to blame and his headache will be gone.
GOOD LUCK

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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Get him into the doctor right away! Don't pass it off as grief over the lost cat. After my father died, my mother began having kidney problems almost immediately. Doctor kept telling her it was her grief and it would pass. Well, she almost died because one kidney had failed all together and the other was only operating at like 30%! Don't assume it's grief - take him to the doctor!

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D.H.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi M.,

After you get a definitive diagnosis from the doctor, you may want to consider this info for migraines.

There are nutritional supplements that are used successfully by many to prevent migraines. I am familiar with the products from Symmetry Direct that have been very effective. The two most commonly used together are Aloe Plus (aloe vera juice) and Advanced Omega (Omega III fatty acids). Genesis (100% juice drink) could also be very helpful for circulation and aloe vera. These products are safe and effective for all ages. Take a look at the the website www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon and feel free to call me if I can be of any help to you.

Victorious Living with Symmetry Direct,
D. Hendon
###-###-####
www.symmetrydirect.com/dhendon

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J.H.

answers from Salinas on

Please do not try to diagnose your son at home. He has no history of migraines and this has been going on way too long. Please get him to a pediatrician. You mentioned neck pain along with the vomiting, headache, loss of appetite and fatigue. As an advice nurse, these signs raise a red flag for meningitis. He should be evaluated appropriatley for his headache. Hopefully it is a migraine but you don't want to chance it. Call your doctor today and have him direct you on next steps. Please describe the symptoms to the doctor...not what you think he has. The doctor is liable to take it seriously.
Hope your son is feeling better soon and so sorry to hear the loss of your cat. Do you know about the Rainbow Bridge?

1 mom found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Sacramento on

I understand your concerns and can appreciate your family history of migraines. However, if your son has not been evaluated by his pediatrician or neurologist who may be able to better assess if this is truly a migraine, I would not just dismiss his nearly week long illness that has progressed from head pain to lethargy and vomiting. As a physician myself, one of the basic lessons we learn in med school and training is that prolonged headaches, vomiting, changes in mental status or vision are all indications for evaluation. I certainly don't want to alarm you by any means, as it may very well turn out that this is a prolonged migraine. However, it is prudent to have your son checked and possibly imaged (head ct or mri)based on the doctors assessment to ensure there is not a something like a intracranial bleed or growth causing these symptoms that coincidently started at the time of the car accident with the cat.
My intention is not to alarm you, rather it is simply to ensure your son receives appropriate care by making you aware of other possibillities for his recent symptoms.

1 mom found this helpful
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N.A.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

It is great that you are looking for solutions for your son before it becomes a problem. In August I went to a childrens wellness expo in Santa Cruz with 13 different doctors from around the country sharing natural solutions to prevent child hood challenges that we are faced with today. Headaches, autism, respirtory, allergies, diabetes and the list goes on.

They expressed putting our children in a healthier environment is the start, healthy air with no ozone, clean water that has nutrients, supplement what is missing from the soils, good rest and a great attitude will change your childs health.

My granddaughter used to get the headaches that it would make her throw up. She sleeps on a magnetic pad and I added supplements that are wholefoods and I put a magnetic necklace on her and she feels the difference. Ariana is 7 years old today and will be 8 in April.

Look at the chemicals you use to clean your house, do your laundry and dishes. Make sure they are natural so you are not putting that poison in the air for yourself and your family.

It is toxic and effecting the way you feel by exposing yourself to it everyday. Your skin is your largest organ and sucks everything up like a sponge.

If you are interested in more information check out my site and my story along with my Ariana's testimony

Have a blessed Holiday.

N. Marie
____@____.com
www.nikken.com/ninamarie

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K.G.

answers from San Francisco on

Please take your son to a doctor today. I, too, get migraines. However, just because your son's symptoms seem like a migraine, it doesn't mean that that's what has. It's important to remember medically that kids are not small people. Their systems are totally different. He might have a migraine, but he could also have something else, such as strep throat. I once had strep throat and did not have a sore throat, only a severe headache and a fever. Dehydration also causes headaches and more serious issues. As an aside, Motrin and Advil are far more helpful for both neck pain and migraines than Tylenol. However, I would not give him either until you consult his doctor. A chiropractor has completely different (and far less) training than a medical doctor. I have seen chiros, and do not mean to disrespect them. They are just not the right place to take your son right now because you need a diagnosis. There are some relatively serious conditions that his headache could be signalling, and you need to rule them out before assuming he is having a migraine. Please call the pediatrician's office right away, especially given that they are likely to be closed for the next two days. I hope your son feels better soon.

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H.F.

answers from San Francisco on

I would take him to the pediatrician right away. He could have something serious like meningitis. Anything that has been going on this long needs to be checked out by a medical doctor.

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N.A.

answers from San Francisco on

M.---get him to a pediatrician....now! N.

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D.G.

answers from San Francisco on

It might be a virus- my 8 year old had similar symptoms and I was worried that he would be having migraines, since I have them. Anyway a few weeks into him having the virus I came down with all the same symptoms. The virus ran almost 3 weeks before it was completely gone from.

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L.M.

answers from San Francisco on

I know you have gotten alot of info and I agree with many of it,but let me suggest aromatheropy of ROSEMARY.. It is known to help migranes.

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M.P.

answers from San Francisco on

Have you taken him to the pediatrician yet? I would definitely take him to teh regular doctor.

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D.H.

answers from San Francisco on

Vomiting, sleepiness and headaches can be symptoms of more than just migraine headaches. I would go straight to the pediatrician, and not the chiropractor for a reason. Get the diagnosis, then decide on whether or not it is a migraine that your chiropractor can treat.

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S.R.

answers from Sacramento on

I had dealt with severe migraines that started when I was 13. After 12 years of suffering we found out it was caused by chemicals. I had to go totally green and now I am headache free! I used this website to help me find safe products. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ Prior to eliminating chemicals, I had phenomenal success with Botox (I longer use) but it isn't a quick fix. It can take a year or more to get full relief. Of course, I would use that as a last resort. Diet change also really helped. Cutting out as much sugar as possible and eating as naturally and unprocessed as you can. Raw milk made a big difference for me. Good luck. Constant pain is a quick road to depression so give your son lots of hugs and kisses. God bless you.

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S.B.

answers from Sacramento on

Maybe you should start with allergy medications, as when mine allergies get out on control I have the same symptons. If that doesn't work after a day or two, then I would move on in a hurry to the next step. There are so many different types of cancer, and if seems as if no one is excused. My friends son had most of the same symptons as your son. She took him to the doctor and he prescribed best rest and tylenol (that was already being done). She finally took her son to emergency as he was in constant pain and losing weight. Get your son to a medical doctor immediately and insist that he be checked for a brain tumor. That is what my friends son had over 20 years ago. He is thriving and doing very well these days. I wouldn't just assume that this is from migraines, yet I do understnad how you would think that because of family history. Good Luck to you.

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J.H.

answers from Salinas on

Hi M.,

Have you taken your son to a pediatrician for evaluation? My daughter went through several months of visits and tracking migraines, possible triggers, etc. until we could determine that it was allergy related, and seasonal. My stepson, on the other hand, ended up having a strep infection on his brain (rare) and ended up having surgery to remove it. He got worse as the days went on. It took almost four months to diagnos the infection. We were told at first it was the flu, then migraines, then had his eyes checked. It was when his legs buckled and he couldn't walk that my husband demanded a CT scan and they found the mass on his brain. The surgery took about six hours, he had iv's for about six weeks, and today he is a sophomore in high school in honors classes. I hate to think what may have happened if my husband hadn't got in the doctor's face and demanded the scan....
best wishes to you - hopefully it will be an easy fix like my daughter - allergy meds and Motrin.

J.

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D.S.

answers from Salinas on

My oldest son is now 10 but has had migraines since he was about 5 years old. We pretty much eliminated the following from his diet and now he rarely even gets a mild headache.

Sugar: cereals, sodas, candy, "juices", check labels for High fructose corn syrup (HFC). I was astonished at how many so called healthy beverages contain "bad" sugars.

Fatty foods: burgers, fries, fried foods, heavy cheese meals, donuts, etc.

Caffeine: sodas & chocolate (chocolate bars, chocolate cakes, frostings, milk.

Finally, we introduced him to the best thing in the world for anybody's body WATER. Lots of water everyday. (Even our six year old carries a water bottle to school daily.)

Occassionally we allow the boys to have some of the items above but we always follow up with lots of water. Water is their new best friend for a headache free, healthy life.

I have also heard of peolple getting great results from accupuncture. Yes, even for children. Hope this helps.

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E.M.

answers from Sacramento on

I would take him to the doctor immediately and get a referral to a neurologist. I had migraines as a child and know that they run in families, but it is still more than worth it to make sure that that's what you are dealing with and not something more serious.

I am so sorry for your little boy. I hope he feels better soon.

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L.A.

answers from San Francisco on

Take your son to his pediatrician asap. He needs to be evaluated to make sure this isn't more than a migraine. As a former migraine sufferer I realize how dibilitating and sick those types of headaches can make you, however you don't know for sure that's what you're dealing with. Also, with migraines, the longer they last the worse they get and the more difficult it is to get rid of the headache. Since your son has had one now for almost a week, it may surely take medical intervention. Personally I think chiropractic is great for resolving migraines and is the reason I no longer get them routinely, but your son needs immediate medical treatment and chiropractic resolution of migraines takes time.
Good Luck.

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A.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi, M.,
Yes, I agree with the other moms, please take your boy to the doctor TODAY!!!! ASAP!!!! A long time ago, an old boyfriend's cousin was around 13, when she complained of a serious headache. It turned out that an artery had ruptured in her brain and she died a few days later.
It sounds very serious and I would definitely not try to diagnose him at home. Especially since he has had vomiting and headaches for days on end. Please hurry and I hope he is okay!

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P.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Since migraine runs in your family, your son's headache & illness is probably due to the traumatic stress of his beloved cat and the traumatic event probably awaken his predisposition.

I would suggest you to consult a homeopath as this treatment is very effective for mind symptoms that manifest into physical illness.

Good luck.

Pat

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B.G.

answers from San Francisco on

Take your boy to the pediatrician immediately...

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K.U.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

I would agree that the place to start is a definitive diagnosis from your son's doctor. Headaches can mean a lot of different things. That said...

My mother gets migraines something fierce, generally brought on by stress or just after a major stressful event passes. (Losing your cat would qualify as a major stressor, especially for a 7-y-o.) I wish there was something i could do for my mother, but I think she has multiple contributing factors, including gluten intolerance which she ignores, and a very fragile neurosystem.

I got migraines in my youth, and haven't had one since my late teens. When I was a teenager I also suffered from back pain and depression. When I still lived at home I got some relief from biofeedback, which teaches the user some control over physiologic processes. We can never live completely stress free lives, but there are ways we can learn to cope better. I also do yoga religiously, and that helps enormously. Migraines can also often correlate with food intolerances, I think gluten and shellfish allergies are common migraine causers. Gluten is in so much, it's a tough one to get out of your diet.

Since you suffer from them too, it sounds like there could be a congenital issue at work here. You can get tested for gluten intolerance, and I would recommend it because the list of potential complications is long and they are severe. My mother has night-time epilepsy, thyroid problems, anemia, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, migraine, chronic depression, ack! the list goes on. She refuses to examine the cause though. One out of a hundred people are gluten intolerant, it's really common. We don't hear about it much in this country because the wheat lobby is huge and we love our food additives.

Good luck to you and your son.

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S.E.

answers from San Francisco on

I agree that it could be a migraine, but it might not be that simple or that serious. I would take him to the doctor as soon as you can. Even if it ends up being a migraine, and you know how painful they are, you need the information so he can learn to manage his pain. If it's something more serious, you've addressed it right away.

If I were in your shoes today and my daughter still had a headache, I'd call her ped. and then take her to the ER.

I hope his headache relief comes quickly and easily.

You're in my thoughts,
Stephanie

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S.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.....
wow, I'd take him to the docs asap. for symptoms to last this long and too, you are assuming it's a migraine...these also sound like concussion symptoms...and I agree, by now he is prob VERY dehydrated which will only worsen a migraine if it is as such.
Please keep us posted as to your son's condition. I hope you till take him to the doctor SOON.

Good luck and best to your little guy.. :(

S.

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K.B.

answers from Yuba City on

I think you need a doctor, not a chiropractor. I am all for chiro, but this sounds medical. He is too little to have such headache. It could be very serious.
I am so sorry about your cat. That is heartbreaking. I hope he knows the Rainbow Bridge story.
Pls let me know what doctor says and good luck.

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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M.,

I would take him in to the doctor today....you wouldn't want to wind up in the emergency room over the Thanksgiving holiday. He may need to be treated for dehydration and given a stronger medication for pain and/or nausea.

When I was a kid one of my animals died and I cried all day, came down with a very high temp and it turned out I had the mumps. Now clearly one had nothing to do with the other, but it happened and I was a very sad and sick little girl all at once. My mom was EXTRA gentle and loving with me at the time.

Hope your little guy gets better soon.

Blessings...

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