Pediatric Headaches: Red Flags, Causes, Treatment, and More – Healthline

“Mommy, my head hurts!” Your stomach may drop when you hear your child say these words. Is it a simple headache? Could it be something more? The answer to these questions is maybe and possibly.

Familiarizing yourself with symptoms of different types of headaches, their frequency, and certain “red flags” may help you understand what’s wrong and when you might need to see your child’s doctor.

First, the good news: Most headaches — or primary headaches — are not necessarily serious. However, sometimes headaches may be a sign of another issue that needs immediate attention. These are called secondary headaches because they result from other conditions and their effects on the head.

Contact your pediatrician if any of the following apply:

• Your child has hit their head or had a recent fall. This may mean they have a concussion or some other injury leading to pressure in their head that needs to be checked out.
• Your child has a stiff neck or fever. These may be signs of meningitis, which is inflammation of certain membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
• Your child’s pain isn’t responding to over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Very severe or sudden-onset pain is worth taking your child to the emergency room or at least calling the pediatrician.
• Your child is lethargic or acting off. The same goes with a headache where your child is also acting unusual.
• Your child is vomiting without other signs of illness. Vomiting may be a sign of increased intracranial pressure. This can be caused by a number of things, like injury, arachnoid cysts, hydrocephalus, or tumors.
• Your child’s headache woke them out of sleep. If the pain wakes your little one from their slumber, it may be pretty severe and out of the norm for standard headaches.
• Your child has a headache as soon as they wake up in the morning. This might also be a sign of increased intracranial pressure.
• Your child’s pain gets worse when they lie down. Pressure or pain in the head when lying down is another possible sign of increased intracranial pressure.
• Your child’s headaches happen more than twice a week. Frequent headaches or headaches that regularly interfere with play, school, or other aspects of life are also worth bringing up to your pediatrician.

Pay attention to your parental intuition as well. If your child’s headaches seem like they may need further attention, it’s a good idea to get them checked out.

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Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/pediatric-headache-red-flags