It’s a widespread false impression that younger children don’t get migraines. The truth is, about 10% of school-age children and 15-27% of adolescents get migraines. Regionally, the variety of adolescents with migraines is even greater.
What will also be complicated is that complications can happen on their very own, however they will also be a symptom of the neurological illness, migraine. Migraine is hereditary and children have a 50-75% probability of growing it if one or each dad and mom have it.
I wish to make clear some misconceptions about migraines in order that this information might assist some kids and adolescents get therapy sooner.
MYTH: Migraines are simply actually unhealthy complications
Many individuals consider migraines as simply actually unhealthy complications. Nonetheless, migraines are a probably disabling neurological illness. Complications are only one symptom of that illness. Complications, after they’re a symptom of migraine, might be delicate or extreme. Each day or as soon as a month. And migraines typically embody different signs in addition to complications (see subsequent level).
MYTH: The primary symptom of migraines is ache on one aspect of the top
It’s true that migraine complications can manifest as ache on one aspect of the top. However for teenagers, they typically really feel ache on each side or within the entrance. Migraine ache also can really feel like rigidity or sinus complications. Additional, head ache isn’t the one symptom of migraine. The truth is, children can have migraines with none head ache in any respect! Different signs of migraines are nausea; sensitivity to gentle, smells and sounds; imaginative and prescient modifications; dizziness and fatigue. It is because migraines have an effect on the blood vessels across the mind and surrounding tissues, inflicting irritation.
MYTH: Younger children can’t inform you what hurts
Fortunately, this isn’t true; we DO have methods for little children to explain their ache. By the point children are two or three years outdated, they’ll relay their signs by drawing them. Youngsters will draw themselves throwing up, overlaying their eyes from the sunshine or ears from loud noises.
MYTH: Younger children and toddlers don’t get migraines
It’s exhausting to think about, however children as younger as 18 months can get migraines. If infants throw up quite a bit or have frequent colic with no different trigger, migraine may very well be the explanation. It is a barrier to therapy as a result of nobody thinks of children getting migraines this younger.
MYTH: All complications are “innocent”
It’s true that whereas migraines may cause numerous ache, vomiting, and light-weight sensitivity, these signs don’t trigger long-term issues. Nonetheless, there are purple flag signs that oldsters ought to look ahead to. This consists of complications waking them up constantly from sleep, confusion, numbness, weak spot, fever and stiff neck. These signs, together with complications, may very well be an indication of one thing extra critical.
MYTH: Signs of migraines are the identical for girls and boys
This isn’t true. For ladies, migraine signs sometimes begin round age eight or 9 when the hormones begin altering. They often worsen within the teenage years and infrequently don’t subside till menopause.
Boys typically begin at a a lot youthful age, some earlier than the age of 5. For essentially the most half, they don’t worsen in the course of the teenage years like they do for women. About half of boys outgrow migraines of their twenties.
MYTH: Drugs is the one option to deal with migraines
It’s true that medicines, each over-the-counter and prescription, can deal with migraine complications. However they aren’t the ONLY option to deal with migraines.
Some children’ migraines don’t reply effectively to medicines. Or typically children get rebound complications from taking an excessive amount of medication, they usually should cease taking it altogether. On this case, we might have them attempt one of many newly FDA-approved gadgets for kids and adolescents. An instance is Nerivio, a distant electrical neuromodulator. Youngsters eight years and older can use it as an acute and preventive remedy. It delivers alerts to nerve fibers within the arm that assist handle how the wearer responds to ache. In different phrases, it methods the mind to give attention to one thing else.
Probably the most extremely efficient non-medication remedies for complications is cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT). CBT teaches children the talents to acknowledge triggers and find out how to management them. It additionally helps them handle their stress, which is among the most frequent migraine triggers.
In case your children are having complications greater than as soon as every week, extra typically than regular, or they’re getting in the way in which of their social lives, speak to your physician about them. The earlier they start therapy, the higher end result they are going to have.
For extra details about our Headache Heart please name 513-636-4222 or e mail headache@cchmc.org.
