Content

• Steps
• Warning

Headaches in children are common, but usually not a sign of serious illness. However, the headache can be severe and stressful for a child. There are many different options, from home remedies to medications, to help treat headaches in young children.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Taking Medications

1. 

   Try an over-the-counter pain reliever. Over the counter pain relievers, which are available at most drug stores, will help relieve the symptoms of a headache in young children.
   • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin IB) are very effective in relieving headaches and are safe to use in children over 6 years old. Consult your pediatrician or pharmacist if you are interested in taking other over-the-counter medications.
   • Make sure that the over-the-counter medicine you take is intended for young children. Adult medications can be dangerous when given to children.
   • Pain relievers should be taken at the first sign of a headache. Follow the dosage instructions and make sure the child is taking the correct dose for the child's age.
   • While it can help relieve pain, over-the-counter medications can also cause headaches to return if taken too much. As a result, the child may experience a headache when taking the medicine. The more you use over-the-counter drugs, the less effective.

2. 

   
   
   Use prescription drugs. If your child's headache recurs, you should ask your pediatrician to prescribe medication.
   • Migraines are usually treated with prescription medications. Migraines are severe and recurring headaches. Triptans are usually prescribed for children over 6 years old. This medicine is safe and has few side effects.
   • Some chronic headaches, including migraines, are often accompanied by nausea. Your child's doctor may prescribe medication to treat the nausea.
   • Talk to your doctor about the potential side effects of medications and give your doctor full information about your child's medical history and family.

3. 

   
   
   Be cautious with aspirin. Aspirin is usually safe when given to children over 2 years old. However, in some (rare) cases, it can cause Reye's syndrome and is therefore not recommended for children at risk. Most doctors do not recommend aspirin to children.
   • Reye's syndrome causes swelling of the liver and brain. The disease can lead to seizures and loss of awareness. It is therefore extremely important to change treatments because Reye's syndrome can be fatal.
   • If your child's headache is caused by a viral infection, such as the flu or chickenpox, you should not give aspirin to your child. Treating these conditions with aspirin increases the risk of Reye's syndrome.
   • Children with fat oxidation disorders have a higher risk of Reye's syndrome. Therefore, you should not take aspirin to treat a child's headache.
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Part 2 of 4: Try Home Methods

1. 

   
   
   Use a cold compress. Cold compresses help relieve headaches in young children.
   • Soak a clean washcloth in cold water and place it on the child's forehead.
   • Prepare something for your child to relax, such as listening to music or watching TV, to let him sit still while using the cold compress.

2. 

   Offer your child healthy snacks. Since headaches are sometimes caused by blood pressure levels, offering healthy snacks when they say they have a headache can help ease the pain.
   • Several types of vegetables are known to reduce headache symptoms. You can try giving your child a snack that includes spinach (spinach), watermelon, or cherries.
   • Young children often enjoy eating peanut butter, a food that has been shown to help relieve headache symptoms. In addition, milk is also effective for headache relief, so you can give your child a peanut butter spread cracker with a cup of milk.

3. 

   Practice rest and relaxation. Since headaches are often caused by insufficient sleep or stress, helping children relax when they have a headache can help relieve the pain.
   • Encourage your child to sleep in a cool, dark room. Sometimes, just a nap can help improve headache symptoms in children.
   • Relaxation techniques can help soothe tense muscles in your baby, thereby helping to reduce the severity and frequency of pain. Have your child lie down and relax, stretch all muscles and gradually relax all other parts of the body.
   • A hot bath can be encouraged to reduce stress.
   • Make sure your child restes between activities that are likely to cause headaches, such as sitting in front of a computer screen or television screen for long periods of time.
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Part 3 of 4: Understanding When to Get Medical Care

1. 

   Keep track of the frequency of your headaches. If your child has frequent headaches, you should monitor and record how often the pain occurs. This way, you will have a detailed symptom record of your pain when you want to see your baby.
   • Understand when a headache starts, how long it lasts, and whether the pain is the same.
   • There are many types of headaches, and the treatment for each will be different. Cluster headaches are often accompanied by cold symptoms. Migraines are often accompanied by vomiting, stomach pain, sensitivity to light and sound. Tension headaches often include pain in the shoulder and neck. Therefore, keep track and record headache symptoms in children to know what kind of pain.
   • Children, especially young children, often don't know how to explain pain symptoms. Therefore, you should ask your child questions such as "Where is my child in pain?" or "Can you show me where I hurt?"

2. 

   Understand the relationship between frequent headaches and mental health problems. Children sometimes complain of headaches or other illnesses when they have depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. Children often lack vocabulary so they cannot describe their mental health problems and only know how to complain about physical pain.
   • A real headache in a child is easy to spot. Children with a really headache are usually very quiet and want to sit or lie down. Babies fall asleep easily and do not want to participate in strenuous activities. Light and noise will make your baby uncomfortable and they may also have stomach problems such as nausea.
   • Babies don't have the typical symptoms of headaches, but frequently complaining of pain can be a sign of a mental health problem. Talk to your pediatrician about this concern. The doctor will talk to the child about the mental health condition in a way that the child understands and can consult a specialist if necessary.

3. 

   Understand disturbing symptoms. While headaches are not a sign of a serious illness, you should be careful with certain symptoms. Get medical attention right away if your child experiences the following symptoms:
   • Children have such a headache that they wake up while sleeping
   • Vomiting early in the morning, especially without other symptoms
   • Personality changes
   • The headache worsened and increased in frequency
   • Headache after injury
   • Headaches accompany a feeling of stiffness in the neck
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Part 4 of 4: Headache Prevention

1. 

   Give your child plenty of water. Dehydration can cause many symptoms, including recurrent headaches. To prevent headaches in children, you should give them enough fluids throughout the day.
   • Young children should drink enough 4 cups of water, each 240 ml cup. Children's water requirements may also be higher if they participate in physical activities.
   • Avoid caffeinated beverages and sweeteners. Not only do children less often drink water, these drinks also cause dehydration in children. Drinking too much sweets and caffeinated beverages can also cause headaches in children.

2. 

   Make sure your baby gets enough sleep. Children need to get a good rest, so a short nap is very important in a child's schedule. Lack of sleep can lead to headaches in young children.
   • Depending on your child's age, the amount of time they sleep each night will vary. Toddlers and preschoolers need 11-13 hours of sleep. Children aged 6 to 13 need about 9-11 hours of sleep each night.
   • Set a time for your baby's sleep and make sure they wake up on time.

3. 

   Feed your baby on time with a balanced diet. Sometimes, an empty stomach can cause a headache in a child. Therefore, meals during the day of children should not be too far apart.
   • Hypoglycemia and skipping meals can cause headaches. Make sure your child gets breakfast before going to school. Sometimes, children may not want to eat lunch or skip foods they don't want. In case your child skips lunch, you should prepare children's favorite foods to make sure they do not skip meals.
   • Children often go through stages where they don't want to eat, especially in toddlers. Therefore, you should set a strict meal schedule and avoid giving children toys, watching TV during meals to encourage children to eat better. If you have trouble, you can talk to your pediatrician about potential health problems.
   • Offer nutritious snacks between meals such as fruit, whole wheat crackers, yogurt, cheese, and vegetables.

4. 

   Understand the underlying cause of a child's headache. Common causes of headaches in young children include:
   • Allergy
   • Sinusitis
   • Vision problems
   • A sore throat or fever may also be a sign of strep throat.
   • See a doctor if you think your child's headache is caused by another illness.
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Warning

• Read the directions carefully and do not give your child an extra dose until after the recommended time.