DD getting lots of headaches

[tumbletumble]

She's 7. Over the last couple of weeks she has said several times that she has a headache. I wasn't taking it too seriously as she doesn't seem to be in much pain (she's acting normally in every other way - it's not stopping her doing any of her normal activities) so I thought she was being a bit attention seeking.

But now I'm wondering if I should take her to the doctor?

[Whatevertheweather]

First thing I'd do is get her eyes tested, if all fine there and headaches persist then doctor

[antimatter]

does she drink enough water?

[glorious]

No expert here but has she had her eyes tested?

[tumbletumble]

Thanks for the replies. She had her eyes tested last summer (at the opticians, not just the school test) - all fine. I have been telling her to drink more water, but I guess I could be more proactive in making sure she does.

I think I'll make a doctor's appt. Will prob have to wait a couple of weeks for an appointment, so I can always cancel it before then if the headaches stop.

[BlackSwan]

If you give her pain relief, does it go away? Does she have any other symptoms? I would see the doctor, certainly. Even if it's nothing serious - you don't want her suffering headaches all the time.

[Walkingonsunshine00]

Bed earlier
More water
Eye test

The doctor will most likely tell you to make a diary of when she gets them

[tumbletumble]

BlackSwan that's the thing, I haven't really had to give her pain relief - just calpol once or twice. That's what I meant in my OP when I said I thought it might be attention seeking rather than 'real'. But it bothers me that she keeps saying it.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

My dd is 15 and she gets headaches all the time. Had her eyes tested and been to the doctor but no one seems interested.

[Seeline]

I'd guess at dehydration. Most schools seem to be unbearably hot, and according to my DD they have very little opportunity to drink (despite me sending in a full water bottle each day). Both she (aged 10) and I get headaches if we haven't drunk enough.

[HoggleHoggle]

I used to get headaches - actually migraines - at this age and until I was a teenager. I think stress brought them on (parents separated at same age) but also GP advised my Mum for me to avoid chocolate. And it was definitely a trigger in retrospect.

[fieldfare]

Take her to the opticians, make sure she's drinking enough, eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep.
I had to keep a diet sheet when I was 13 as I was getting migraines and we tried to see if there was a trigger. There wasn't, they were just hormonal and I had medication to help.
She could be going through a hormonal change and this is the effect. Make sure she's not having too much screen time too.

[bruffin]

My ds was getting bad headaches when he was 8/9 and it turned out to be sinuses. Apparently it is very difficult to diagnose in children and he had to have all the eye tests, ECG (but that was because he had recently had a febrile convulsions as well) and an MRI scan. The MRI scan showed up the sinus problems. He had to have two lots of antibiotics to clear them up.

[gingertreat]

too much sugar and sweets can cause headaches too.