Contents
Migraine is a real disease, embarrassing and disabling. This condition is not just for adults. In fact, 2% of children under 10 suffer from this disease, affecting children from the age of two. In order not to confuse it with a simple headache, it is necessary to know how to detect the suggestive signs. This is a difficult task, especially since the baby is not yet expressing himself correctly. Understand the migraineis being able to anticipate crises and relieve your child.
How does migraine manifest itself?
Migraine is expressed by severe headache frontal, bilateral or retro-ocular. It is accompanied by at least one other symptom, such as nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances or dizziness, unlike the simple headache which remains isolated. The pain is throbbing. She “hits” in the cranial box. Often when a baby has a migraine, he becomes pale, cries, bangs his head. He stops all activity. He can no longer stand the noise, nor the light which only aggravates the pain felt. Those headaches stop when the child is sleeping. Migraine is a vasomotor disorder of the cerebral arteries, often inherited.
How is the diagnosis of migraine in babies?
The diagnosis of migraine is difficult to establish, especially in a young child. It is based on the establishment of a questionnaire relating the circumstances of the crises and the pain experienced. The doctor will assess the inherited risk. Indeed, if one of the parents or grandparents already suffers from this disease, it is very likely that the child also suffers from it. The headache can only be measured during a blood test or during an X-ray examination. Once the diagnosis is made, the doctor will look for possible triggers. Noise, heat, fatigue, stress, emotions, hunger, lack of sleep… are all avenues to explore to limit crises. The parents will have to monitor the child in order to detect a possible triggering factor.
How to relieve and prevent a migraine attack in babies?
A child with migraine needs calm and sleep. Indeed, sleep eliminates all pain. To relieve the child, keep him calm and try to get him to sleep. Noise and intense light should be avoided. The doctor may prescribe ibuprofen drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the pain. To prevent possible seizures, the child must be kept away from the triggering factor as much as possible. If the factor is lack of sleep, offering regular naps to the child may be beneficial. If the trigger is hunger, meals eaten at regular times or divided up over time may reduce seizures. If the child is stressed or distressed, the help of a psychologist will be needed to determine the source of the stress.
Do you want to talk about it between parents? To give your opinion, to bring your testimony? We meet on https://forum.parents.fr.