Kids & migraines

[LettuceLady]

Does anyones child suffer from them? My daughter will be 9 1/2 next month and is experiencing them. She spent most of Saturday in bed and she did throw up once. She went to bed on her own and pulled down the blind as the day light was too bright for her.

Migrains do run in my family.

She has an appt. tomorrow moring with our family DR. From what I read, girls experience migraines the same year that they start their period. YIKES!

Any input is appreciated. Also, is there anything I should ask my DR. tomorrow? What kind of tests (if any) can I expect?

Thanks!

[Lollypop]

Hopefully they don't continue.

[Chaotic Chick]

My oldest daughter began getting migraines when she was 7. (And didn't start her period for another 6 years after that lol).

There weren't any tests done besides blood work. My doctor based the diagnosis on a family history and her symptoms. She saw him a few times before he actually diagnosed them as migraines. I have suffered from them since I was a kid too and it is horrible to see your own child have a migraine attack! Kids do not usually get headaches unless it is caused by TMJ (something else my daughter has) or the flu and rarely do children get migraines, the doctor told me. It can happen though, with a family history.

When I was diagnosed with migraines, I had a CT scan. Not sure if that is standard. CT scans kind of suck since they are noisy and creepy but in my case, they had to do it because I had suffered a serious head injury when I was 2 or 3 years old.

[nightingale]

It is absolutely possible that children can have migraines, especially if there is a family history of them. They are much more common in females than in males. There is not much to test for though, other than blood tests. CT scans are very rarely given to children due to high amounts of radiation.

Diagnosis is based mostly on answering questions on the type of headaches, when they happen, symptoms etc. Your daughter will likely be given a neuro-exam, checking reflexes, balance, etc.

Medication may be prescribed, but then your daughter will have to have more blood tests on a regular basis to test liver function and be seen regularly to test for medication function.

[Giggle Squirt]

i have had migraines since i was two.. To the point that they made my mom put a helmet on me because when i would get one it would hurt so bad that i would start hitting my head because of the pain... and they were scared of me giving myself brain damage. I have had a bunch of cat scans and every couple of years they chang up the medication because after a while they become less effective. I find i get them more when i have caffine... or sugar or smell food frying... like prokchops or fish.. the smell of the food frying gives me the worse migrane...