Frequent headaches in children can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, anxiety, poor sleep, and certain foods or drinks. Here are a few things you can do to help alleviate your child's headaches:
- Keep a headache diary: Encourage your child to keep track of when their headaches occur, what symptoms they experience, and what seems to trigger them.
- Encourage a healthy lifestyle: Help your child to maintain a healthy diet, regular exercise routine and good sleep hygiene.
- Help manage stress: Encourage your child to engage in stress-relieving activities such as yoga, meditation, or exercise.
- Identify and avoid triggers: Some children are sensitive to certain foods or drinks, such as chocolate, caffeine or MSG, encourage your child to avoid these items.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers: If your child's headaches are mild and infrequent, over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used to alleviate symptoms.
- Consult a pediatrician: If your child's headaches are severe, frequent, or accompanied by other symptoms, it's important to consult a pediatrician. They can rule out any underlying medical conditions, and recommend appropriate treatment, including medication and/or a referral to a pediatric neurologist or headache specialist.
- Educate your child: Help your child understand what a headache is, what causes them and how they can be treated.
It's important to keep in mind that it may take some time to find the best approach for your child's headaches, and it's important to work closely with your child's pediatrician to develop an appropriate plan.
Source: Vivacare
Last updated : 1/27/2023