Headache Awareness

Because June 5-11 is nationally recognized as Headache Awareness Week, we asked nurse practitioner Dona Clarin, MSN, FNP, to answer some of parents' most common questions regarding headaches in children. Clarin, who works in Le Bonheur's Neuroscience Institute, sees several patients who complain of headaches each year.

What are the most common causes of headaches in children?
Headaches are common. In fact, 25 percent of children will complain of a significant headache by age 7 years old. Seventy-five percent of children will complain of a headache by the age of 15. Most headaches are a genetic predisposition activated by an environmental trigger, such as stress, noise or smells. Headaches can "run in a family."

What can parents do to treat their child's headache?
The common initial treatment would be Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen), but parents should be careful not to use these medications more than one to two times a week, or the child could get a "rebound" headache, a headache caused by frequent use of headache medication.

Parents should also look at various lifestyle components that could help reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. Make the child has good eating and sleep habits, and try to decrease sugar and caffeine intake. Children should also get regular exercise.

When should parents seek medical care for their child's headaches?
Children should see a doctor if the headaches are becoming more intense or occurring frequently (at least one time a week). They should also seek care if the headaches are disrupting their life or schooling. It's best to see a clinician who specializes in neurology.

Here are some other factors to watch for:

• The child has a sudden headache that is worsening in severity or increasing in frequency.
• The child experiences a change in the pattern of the headache.
• New symptoms arise after the headache has subsided.

If any of the above symptoms arise, take your child to his or her pediatrician or to a pediatric neurologist.