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Children's health

migraine and v difficult behaviour in 8yr old dd-any experiences of this?

10 replies

princessllama · 13/06/2015 19:56

my 8 and a half year old has always been a feisty child but recently we have had bouts of really bad behaviour that has left me, dh, and ds1 and ds2 reeling, she is particularly verbally abusive to ds1. at the same time she has been having bad headaches that i think might be migraines. (she says it's as if someone is screaming inside her head, she feels like she is going to vomit, doesn't want food and just wants to go to bed). we are turning around and around trying to work out what is wrong. her behaviour in public is generally good and also good at school although she is now getting upset/cross with her friends. i can usually tell if she has a headache because her eyes look a bit squiffy and her face goes white in the middle from her eyes to her chin, this seems to correspond to her terrible behaviour. she usually does then tell me she has a headache without any asking.
we are going to see the gp on monday and see what they can come up with. i will also get her eyes re tested. but my main worry is her behaviour. it is wearing us all down. ds1's confidence is much reduced and ds2 who is only 2 spends the whole day asking about dd and saying 'Hope crying, Hope screaming' all day long.

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Tomuchcake · 13/06/2015 23:33

Yes going to the doctor is what is needed.

Feels like a person screaming in her head, I wonder if there maybe some mental health issues arising.

Good luck with the gp

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princessllama · 14/06/2015 07:43

god i hope not, tomuchcake. desperate for it to be something we can deal with easily

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MappingTheMind · 14/06/2015 07:50

This sounds awful. How long has it been going on?

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saintlyjimjams · 14/06/2015 08:03

Definitely GP - although you may need a referral - it sounds potentially very specialist. It might be worth asking for an EEG as well as there are some forms of seizure activity than can affect behaviour/anxiety etc. I'm not saying I think she has epilepsy - just that it's something that can be investigated. My son was referred for an EEG because of behaviour recently (not that they managed to get on, but still - I don't think he's having seizures

How has her behaviour been at home prior to this (is it a different level of feisty than before?).

My youngest has always been perfect Peter at school & a complete nightmare at home. In his case his behaviour at home can be worse if he's struggling with something at school - it gets bottled up & released at home (he's not the eeg one!)

Oh and keep a diary of behavioural incidents - you could ABC them (a is antecedent - what happened before, b is the behaviour itself - and c is consequences - what happened after). Also note down the headaches & when they started. If you're worried about migraines might be worth thinking about what she ate 24 hours before it started as well.

Good luck with the GP.

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Rivercam · 14/06/2015 08:08

A friend used to get migraines as a child. The cause turned out to be dehydration ( although this was in the 70s when we didn't routinely drink like today).

My first thought also was to check her eye sight.

hope you get an answer at the gp's.

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princessllama · 14/06/2015 17:06

Saintly and mapping-Her behaviour has always been tricky but had improved in the last few years. Headaches started last school term. They seem to come in groups. Much worse in the last 2 weeks as has behaviour

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princessllama · 14/06/2015 17:09

Saintly, i think a diary of headaches and behaviour is a good idea too. Am hoping gp will do sensible screening for stuff. We have wven had moments of wondering whether she might have aspergers but i don't think so.

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princessllama · 14/06/2015 17:12

Rivercam i was wondering about dehydration, hard to know how much she drinks when i am not there. Will try putting a mark on her water bottle for school

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BlackSwan · 16/06/2015 02:43

What did the GP say

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Dreamiesrcatopium · 16/06/2015 03:56

I had my first migraine with aura at 6 years old. This was in 1985 so the GP was dismissive at first. I described it as "a big headache far in my eye"

The best thing you can do, you are already doing and that is believing her. Its frightening having auras and intense pain when you're only little. I know nowadays they have better medicines for it for children too. Nasal sprays etc so she won't have to take pills.

It may well be she's frightened of hr headaches being more serious and this is making her act out.
I would get her to the GP asap.

In the end mine were diagnosed properly at 8 and I've been on some sort of preventative and under a neuro on and off ever since. They think mine may be a result of the meninjitis I had as a baby.

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