My nearly 6 year old daughter has been mentioning headaches to me, which I usually would attribute to her being tired. Recently she asked me why her brother was "in a triangle". She was giggling and then asked why there were blue spots floating around. She didn't understand why no one else could see what she was seeing. This caught my attention and I questioned her about the things she was seeing. Apparently this wasn't her first "episode" of seeing things. She explained she has never seen anything in a triangle before that morning, but has seen floating colors (usually blue, sometimes purple) and wavy line. To me, since I have experienced a few migraines, it sounded like she was having an aura but she did not, to my knowledge, have a bad headache that day. A few days later, however, she was holding the side of her head telling me it hurt on that side and she felt like throwing up. She was also very irritable, as anyone would be. Of course I scheduled and appointment to see the doctor. She is being treated for a sinus infection. I'm hoping that is the cause of her headache but that, I don't think, would explain the things she sees. She is scheduled in a few days to have a brain MRI. She has to be under anesthesia (which makes me nervous). She's had procedures in the past (for her reflux) and they were pretty traumatic for her. I hate that the hospitals "policy" is to not allow parents with their child until they are asleep. Anyway, anyone elses children experience anything like this?! Would love any input :-)
She had the MRI and it came back normal. The test, under anesthesia, went very well. The worst part was the vomitting afterward. But even though their policy is to not allow parents back until they fall asleep, I explained my daughters past experiences (which were pretty traumatic to a young child) and they were very sympathetic and let me go back with her. It was a good thing because the sedative they give prior did not work AT ALL! hahaha. She was calm the whole time AND they had a child life specialist come talk to her about the test and answer all her questions. So thanks St. V's!! Anyway, she continues to have headaches. On average, I would say 2 days between is the longest she goes without :-( She has visual disturbances maybe once a week? I don't ask her because I don't want to suggest it to her or make her feel something is wrong with her. I wait for her to tell me. She has been on antibiotics for 12 days now. So any head pain from a possible sinus infection should be gone. So now we
are on to see a pediatric neurologist. Thanks for all of the input. I believe she probably is having occular migraines, though I don't understand why the sudden onset of frequent attacks???
Can't explain her vision but the headaches could be related to her getting her upper 6 yr molars in. They will push causing headaches and sinus issues. My 11yr old (almost 12) is getting some molars in causing her pain and my 6yr old son is getting his molars right now.
The floating colors and shapes sound like it could be an ocular migraine, which I sometimes get. It's a migraine in that the blood vessels in the eye are constricted as they would be in a migraine headache and cause visual disturbances -- shimmering shapes, changes in colors, etc. -- but when I get them, I don't get headaches with them. Sometimes I get mild migraine headaches (throbbing pain, but nothing more than pain) and sometimes I get ocular migraines (visual disturbances that last about 1/2 hour, but nothing else). Apparently, the two migraines can co-occur or one can herald another.
Google "ocular migraine" and check out the article on allaboutvision dot com. explains it pretty well.
Ocular migraines are not necessarily accompanied with a headache. I think it sounds like that's what she's having, I would have her checked out by a neurologist.
I had migraines at that age. I didn't know what they were yet but I had classic migraines a few times that young. They ramped up when I was older.
I can't remember if I ever had the aura at that age but it sounds just like it. And I often get the aura independently from an actual headache, or a few days before.
I'd go to a Dr too and go for the MRI, just to be safe. I'd also keep a journal of her headaches and visual complaints (dates/duration) starting now.
It's good she's getting an MRI because that helps you rule out more serious issues sooner rather than later. Continue to be assertive with her doctors! If she does not improve, insist on further tests.
This could be as simple as a vision issue, so be sure that gets checked too.
I am disturbed by this policy of not allowing children to have their parents there unless the children are asleep. What is the point of that? You can't calm and reassure them if they're not awake! Does this apply only to procedures such as MRIs and the reflux, or most of the time? I would push the hospital on exactly how this applies, and I would also tell them you will indeed be with her when she is distressed. If this is a policy that really just means "you can't be in the actual room while an MRI machine is running," that's understandable and is for your safety, but it's not clear to me what the policy actually means. My daughter had an MRI when she had appendicitis, and had an ultrasound too, and I was in the actual room for both procedures.
Does sound like a migraine but has vision been checked? This could be the cause and mine is 6 and by the end of the school yr I saw a couple of kids w/glasses that didn't have them at the beginning. Nursing student here and I did my clin experience in peds this sememster, two hosp in our area and one allows parents present and other does not during procedures. Nursing instructor said recent studies show that its more beneficial for parent to be present during procedure and hosp policy's are changing due to this.
Hi,
I'm a late comer to this post, but when you see the neurologist you might ask him to do an EEG to rule out temporal lobe epilepsy which can cause visual changes without any pain or other signs of seizure. If she does have this it is generally easily treated. Good luck to you and you daughter.
-Jenn
My best guess is the migraine, although with mine it's usually just white speckles, not shapes. I'd be interested to hear what the outcome of your MRI is. Please post a follow up.
It sounds like she is having a migraine. I would take her to a neurologist and have them evaluate her. best wishes with the MRI and I hope you get this figured out soon. Hang in there~
i just wanted to lend some support, no real advice though sorry. but i hate that they don't let you be there while they "fall asleep" too :( but i was such a nervous wreck that it probably was better i wasn't there (kidding...kinda!)
I would have her vision checked. I took my 5y last month and she now has bifocals!
Could be a migraine... but could also be a vision issue (as the common cause for both the vision symptoms and the headache, rather than them being ONE thing).
Definitely take her to the doctor, but also schedule an appointment to have her eyes checked more deeply than just the quick check in the dr's office hallway.
My son was complaining about headaches for about a year before he casually mentioned that he "hates it when everything starts moving up and down up and down." He had passed the dr's office vision screening just a few weeks prior. Took him to the eye doctor and it turned out although he COULD focus his eyes, it was a strain and he was struggling to focus and refocus (the up and down) and getting a headache from that.
A cute little pair of reading glasses and the problem is solved!
HTH
T.
I'd definately have her vision checked if you havent already. My daughter was coming home froms chool with headaches, so I took her in for a vision check and she needed reading glasses. Not sure about the triangle but if she is seeing floating colors, maybe floaters which I belive can also be a vison issue. Good luck, please let us know what happens and what the diagnosis is.
