My eldest, my 8 year old daughter, gave me a heart attack last night. We were working on her homework and she suddenly grabbed the sides of her head and started screaming 'It hurts! It hurts!!'... she explained the pain was behind her eye ball. She's never had problems reading, doesn't watch too much t.v, doesn't play on the computer, didn't bump her head, and honestly, this kid is TOUGH, nothing is EVER wrong with her, she's my golden child.
So I jumped into EMT mode, took her to the hospital, and left with them scratching their heads as well. She's going to the pediatrician on Monday for a follow up. They said it could have been either 1-something stuck behind her eyeball and scratched it, 2- she may have vision problems in that eye only (they tested her, she did poorly on that side, perfect on the other side, but said her vision was blurry from holding an ice pack on it) and 3- migraines... they had turned the lights off, and the pain had gone away. 30 seconds after the light came on, she was holding her head and screaming again. I get migraines, but didn't start getting them until after my 2nd child was born.
So my question is, do any of your kids get headaches? What about migraines? How was this diagnosed? Was there ever another underlying issue going on?
I usually don't jump immediately to awful conclusions (aneurysm, retna's detaching), but she never gets scared, and last night SHE was scared, which scared me. She has never, ever acted like this before. She went to school today and I haven't heard anything, and no news is good news, but I'm still a bit worried about this.
They did NOT do any brain scans since the pain went away as soon as the lights went out; that's not indicative of anything major, more along the scratch or migraine lines. Once she's seen on Monday, we'll determine if something like that is still necessary.
My son gets headaches, he is 5 they started at 4 still do not know why but with Motrin for kids it goes away if it does not we have to take him to the hospital that has yet to happen.
Sounds like we both kept the ER busy last night! I hope she is doing better today!
My kids do get headaches - at least they say they do. My husband gets them ALL the time. Me not so often - but if I do it hurts like crazy..but it's not migranes.
Can they do an MRI or something to see more?
I have a history of migraines since I was a toddler. My mom even said that she thinks some of the times I would get sick as a baby with vomiting it was probably a migraine because there was no fever or other symptoms. I can remember being very little - probably 3 or 4 and having such intense headaches that I would just lie down and cover my head with a blanket and close my eyes. I still have them, and I believe my 8 year old daughter has had 6-7 in the last 2 years. They are hereditary - my mom and her mother had them.
The last headache my daughter had, sounds a lot like your daughters. It came on suddenly and she complained of pain behind her eyes. She also felt nauseated. In February at her well check, I am going to ask about the steps to take in diagnosing whether these are classic migraines or something else. My gut tells me migraines though.
I have already started keeping a journal of how often she has had them, what she eats, etc... Over the counter meds like Tylenol and Ibruprofen are working now, but not great when she gets a really bad one. Try keeping a record of her pain, where it is located, what she's doing, what she's eaten, etc... That will help you if you get referred to a neurologist.
I'm so sorry if gets diagnosed with migraines! They suck! There are new meds out now that help tremendously for me, but I wonder about the dosing for kids. That's my big question when we go to the doc in February. Maybe it's just her weak eye, and there is an easier fix! :)
Good luck and let us know what happens!
From about age 5 to 13 , I would get horrible migraines. I would lay in a dark room & cry, they hurt so bad. My mom & grandmother also suffered from them at a young age. Fortunately, they seemed to stop around the time I started getting my period. I still get lots of headaches, probably, 3 a week but never migraines since 13.
It sounds like a migraine. I have been getting then for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid they would just think I was making it up (back in the 70's) until I would start to throw up. My mom didn't understand that it was from the headaches and thought I was allergic to all kinds of foods. Stress and/or diet (preservatives) are big contributors to migraines, also hormones. I would not rule out a CAT scan or MRI just to be sure.
Did they do a CAT scan or MRI? My brother got severe migraines when he was a child, so bad he had to stay in dark rooms and he couldn't hold down food. They did SO much testing and my mother who is nervous in general was a wreck. This was back in the late 70's so there is probably better testing today, but yes kids can and do get migraines. My brother eventually "outgrew" them, and no one ever did figure out what his trigger was. I on the other hand started getting them as an adult, but only after I quit smoking and they stopped about 3 years after I quit, so I think it was just my bodies way of getting out the toxins.
Good luck with your daughter, headaches are scary business. Let us know what happens.
That sounds horrible, R.. I'm so glad she's feeling better now!
My 14 year old has had 2 migraines, one was when he was about 10, and the other was when he was about 12. He was throwing up and had light sensitivity with both of them. They were bad.
My 7 year old gets fairly frequent headaches. He hasn't been diagnosed with migraines. He often has to stop playing and lay down in a dark room with a cold pack on his head for an hour or so. I also give him Motrin.
I get migraines 3-5 days a week and take preventive medication daily. I know migraines can run in families, so I'm hoping my little guy doesn't end up with my headaches.
I hope your daughter keeps feeling well! :)
I used to get migraines when I was skinny (there has to be some upside to carrying some extra weight!) and once I recongized them for what they were I realize I'd had them since at least 1st grade. I could track mine to being out in the windy cold weather with out a hat, certain foods, hormonal stuff and certain food additives. When I lose weight they come back. Most of the time they begin in a dull way with the floaty-vision disturbances. But I have had occasional headaches that came on with astonishing speed and pain. It can be a pinched nerve, sitting or sleeping the wrong way, etc. Don't jump t conclusions or project the worst case. At this age kids are growing and I truly believe that growth pains are real. A body can't go through all that change and growth without feeling some pain.
Once she's evaluated you'll feel a sense of relief - but realize it may come back again one day. Kids also respond to our emotions and mirror what they see in us. If their syptoms shake us up they assume they should also be scared to death.
Pray for peace mama - God will provide it.
Lots of children get migraines. My eldest son had them starting at age 2 (episodic vomiting), and my daughter at age 10 (hemi-palegic - think like a stroke with 1/2 the body appearing paralysed - & later optic ones with vision that tunnels to black with no apparent cause or warning). Depending on the type and severity, you may want to get a neurological consult with a pediatric neurologist. You may never know the reason behind the migraines, but at least you might be able to find a treatment that works. Good luck.
I started with menstrual migraines around 11 (early 80's) ... you could (and the school did!!) literally count 28 days on the calendar and guarantee I would have a migraine. Doctors didn't believe my mom and since we lived on a small military base in the middle of nowhere, there was no way to get a second opinion. Once my menstrual cycle started, they magically went away until my mid-20's. Now in my 40's, they're BAAACCCCKKKK and I've just learned to deal with them the best I can. If migraines, try and teach her some relaxation techniques ... it may give her something else to focus on instead of the pain. Sucks to get them so young; I know how she feels.
My son (almost 6) has had some bad headaches over the last year, but he was never able to say "where" in his head they hurt. Anyway, he just got reading glasses and the headaches have stopped. He never showed any signs that he was struggling to read other than the headaches and then a recent complain about "words going up and down" (which is what got us to the eye doctor).
If she's straining to focus while working and doesn't notice it, the pain could kick in just out of fatigue like his.
Hope you get to the bottom of it.
T.
My 9 year old has been getting migraines every month and a half for the last year. It is terribly scary. If it is migraines, make sure you take note right away what she was doing the day before (and day of) her headache; activities, etc. Note all food eaten during the days before and of. Note bedtimes, etc. Also, keep a list of symptoms. For instance, we noticed that before each headache my son's personality would drastically change. He also would start to have dark circles under his eyes for a few days before. The doctor said he is not worried yet, but that meals and bedtimes should be very consistent.
If you keep a log, it will become more clear what her triggers are, if it's indeed migraine. Since you get migraines, she has more of a chance of getting them. I found that my migraines are triggered when I have a prolonged lack of sleep. I had them SO OFTEN after my second child was born that I was convinced I had a tumor. However, I cut out red wine, processed cheese and deli meats and artificial sweeteners before I realized that. I'm back on some cheese and red wine, but the headache diet is healthier anyway.
Hopefully, it is something easy to fix. Good luck to you! I will find you if I learn any more about childhood migraines.
this is not an act, no matter what the doctors might be implying, no one but no one just starts holding their head and screaming, she needs a CT scan NOW, my other half got headaches like that as a child, at 27 he had a double aneurysm, full recovery, your kid might not be that lucky, demand a a CT SCAN. funerals are expensive. dont let this happen to your child.
K. h.
My friend's daughter starting getting migraines at age 6. My cousin was around 8, so it is possible. Maybe she did get something in it. My son was screaming about his eyes the other day because he touched a vicks scent pad and then his eye. I would take her to an opthamologist for follow up. they have specialized equipment that can look behind the eye to see what is going on.
