Headaches in children


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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Headaches in children are common and usually aren't serious. Like adults, children can develop different types of headaches, including migraine or stress-related (tension) headaches. Children can also have chronic daily headaches.

In some cases, headaches in children are caused by an infection, high levels of stress or anxiety, or minor head trauma. It's important to pay attention to your child's headache symptoms and consult a doctor if the headache worsens or occurs frequently. Headaches in children usually can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications and other lifestyle measures.

Symptoms
References
  1. Tintinalli JE, et al. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=40. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  2. Headaches in children. American Headache Society. http://www.achenet.org/resources/headaches_in_children/. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. Arruda MA, et al. Frequent headaches in the preadolescent pediatric population: A population-based study. Neurology. 2010;74:903.
  4. Robberstad L, et al. An unfavorable lifestyle and recurrent headaches among adolescents: The HUNT Study. Neurology. 2010;75:712.
  5. Seshia SS. Chronic daily headache in children and adolescents. Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2012;16:60.
  6. Monteith TS, et al. Tension type headache in adolescence and childhood: Where are we now? Current Pain and Headache Reports. 2010;14:424.
  7. Arruda MA, et al. Cluster headache in children and adolescents: Ten years of follow-up in three pediatric cases. Cephalalgia. 2011;31:409.
  8. Treatment of migraine headache in children and adolescents. American Academy of Neurology. www.aan.com/practice/guideline/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.view&guideline=159. Accessed April 16, 2013.
DS01132 June 26, 2013

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