Migraines do not discriminate and, sadly, children are included as victims of this debilitating condition. The youngest child on record to have suffered a migraine is an 18-month-old. As many as 10% of school-aged children suffer from migraines, and half of them have an episode before the age of 12.
Migraines are neurological in nature and, while they have head pain as one main symptom, they are not always accompanied by it. Here are a few other symptoms that are quite common:
- Sensitivity to light, sound, and some odors
- Stomach pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Mood changes
- Dizziness
The good news is that children usually don’t have as many migraines and their migraines do not last as long as when adults have them. However, the pain can be just as disabling for a child.
Caring for Migraines in Children
Taking your child to your family physician may result in a suggestion of over-the-counter or prescription drugs to help with managing the pain. This kind of care for migraines targets the pain after it has begun. Other suggestions to alleviate the pain on a regular basis and prevent it from beginning are medications such as:
- Antidepressants
- Channel calcium blockers
- NSAIDs
- Anticonvulsants
- Antihistamines
- Beta-blockers
As a parent, it is important to remember that many of these medications come with unwanted side effects. Are there any natural ways to care for migraines in children and adults that have been proven to work?
Migraines and Upper Cervical Chiropractic
A 16-year-old girl visited an upper cervical chiropractor complaining of chronic headaches once or twice a week. The chiropractor focused on realigning her atlas vertebra, the top bone of the neck. This bone moves out of place easily due to trauma. When this happens, the brainstem is placed under pressure, and signals going to the brain become hindered, creating the perfect scenario for a migraine to occur. Using a gentle method, similar to what we use here at Wellspring Centre for Body Balance to help realign the bones, she saw fewer migraines, and they were less intense. Our patients see similar results, and some of them have their migraines completely cured.
Contact us to schedule your complimentary Upper Cervical consultation.