Migraines in 8 year old

[OneMorePieceofCheese]

In the last couple of months DD8 has had a bad headache on three separate occasions. In one case she threw up and went to sleep and in the other two, she just wanted to sleep.

I am suspecting migraines (she had Alice in Wonderland Syndrome when she was about 5).

She will not take Calpol etc as she says it makes her feel sick. (I suffer from migraines occasionally and have to take a nasal spray as my stomach shuts down and I can't digest painkillers).

Does anyone have any experience with GPs and medication that works?

Also, how do I convince school that she doesn't need 48 hours off school if she vomits with a migraine?

Dd1 was about 7 when she was diagnosed. Started with being sick repeatedly for about 2 hours, sleeping straight after then fine. We weren’t sure what was going on till she started having headaches as well. Doctor prescribed a bottle of ant-nausea medicine which then meant she could keep down paracetamol tablets as she is allergic to the flavouring in Calpol. (She was taking half tablets from 6then single tablets following GP’s advice ) I wish I could remember it’s name but it was very effective if she took it soon enough.
Once school knew about her diagnosis they were fine with us sending her in the next day. But it they had a vey understanding Head.

My DD started around the same age and has seen a consultant a few times. We found child nurofen liquid (as advised by paed) far more effective than paracetamol. If we give it to her as soon as the headache starts it's usually gone within half an hour. Without it, she will vomit and need to sleep. We also talked a lot about triggers with her - not drinking enough is a big one, but also eating regularly helps, plus avoiding too many screens, and wearing sunglasses on a sunny day. Your DD may have different triggers.

Thanks, that's really helpful. We have kids' Nurofen, so will try that next time, but the problem is that she tends to feel sick (and sometimes is sick) with the headache, and having anything at all can trigger the vomiting. (This is exactly why I take a nasal spray, but appreciate they are probably not appropriate for children.)

The anti nausea medicine might help too - so long as her stomach hasn't already "shut down" if that makes sense. Of course the problem is they sometimes come on in school, so her being aware enough of the headache to ask for meds (assuming we get them prescribed) is tricky too.

I haven't really thought about triggers, but I will keep an eye on her hydration. I have always previously been of the school of thought of, "Meh, if they're thirsty, they'll drink", but I might need to revise that.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

It could be hormonal as well. What helps me is some coca cola or Sprite for the nausea, taken with some meds and a good sleep, cool or warm flannel as well over the eyes (depending how I feel on the day).

@Valhalla17

It could be hormonal as well. What helps me is some coca cola or Sprite for the nausea, taken with some meds and a good sleep, cool or warm flannel as well over the eyes (depending how I feel on the day).

Thanks. She's very petite and quite underweight for 8 so I would be very surprised if it was puberty related, but I will keep an eye on it. I struggle to get her to eat or drink anything (including meds) and if she does she's usually sick, so I don't force it.

She needs to be seen by a GP. Unfortunately NICE guidelines only address children aged 12+ cks.nice.org.uk/topics/migraine/ but are still worth a read. They may well refer her to neurology because any medication will need to be assessed because of her age.

Poor wee mite, I got mine young as well and so did my brother. He has episodic migraine, I have chronic (up to 27 days per month when unmedicated). Age doesn't have specifically mean it will continue into adulthood, but it's common, especially with the familial link.

DD10 suffers migraines and has done for a few years. School accepts the GP diagnosis so she doesn’t stay off. GP suggested ibuprofen rather than Calpol and getting sugar into her is key - usually a two mini Hariobo packets does the trick. Main triggers seem to be dehydration and tiredness. School have sweets and ibuprofen and she takes them at any signs and they just let me know.

Nothing to add but defo consider blood sugar as a trigger.

I first got migraine around that age (aura, headache). Low blood sugar in the morning was sometimes a trigger, if I missed or delayed breakfast I was almost guaranteed one (still is, I cannot miss breakfast!).

Sorry meant to add the key seems to be identifying that ‘not quite’ right moment before she starts the headache and feeling sick. If she’s feeling sick then generally we’ve had it. I’m fairly sure there have been a few occasions when she’s had medication and haribo when not really needed but I’ll take that over the headache and vomiting.

Thank you. They have all been late afternoon so far (end of school day). Tiredness possibly a factor, low blood sugar less likely as she eats a decent lunch. I will definitely try getting sugar into her next time but she is so reluctant to eat or drink anything.

I will make a GP appointment, in order to make sure she's allowed to be sick and not miss school if nothing else!

Has anyone's DC had nasal triptans prescribed? They work for me but I suffer rarely (maybe once every 6 months).

@Valhalla17

It could be hormonal as well. What helps me is some coca cola or Sprite for the nausea, taken with some meds and a good sleep, cool or warm flannel as well over the eyes (depending how I feel on the day).

I started having migraines just before my 5th birthday. I find a sweet fizzy drink is good, also plenty of sleep.

Back in the 50s I was given soluble asprin, I'm sure a doctor would have a fit about that now.

You could try ginger tea. It's good for nausea and inflammation. Alongside a nurofen and plenty of water.

Migraines suck. The gp is the best bet to see about nasal sprays. My triptan tablets are not for use under the age of 18 so not sure about the sprays.

My dd also had Alice in Wonderland syndrome at age 7/8 followed by migraines, she has naturally grown out of them now. I do wonder whether it could be a beginning of puberty thing for some girls.

@AgnesNaismith

My dd also had Alice in Wonderland syndrome at age 7/8 followed by migraines, she has naturally grown out of them now. I do wonder whether it could be a beginning of puberty thing for some girls.

So glad to hear she's grown out of them - especially when you consider the doom and gloom of "growing into them".

I would be surprised if it's the beginning of puberty as she only weighs 3 stone and a bit (underweight but not dangerously so, according to the NHS). But nothing is impossible, I guess.

I spoke to her about recognising her "cues" but she finds it hard. To be honest, I find it hard with my own cues and I'm in my 40s! I will make a GP appointment for her and see what they suggest.

My son started getting migraines at about the same age - just like me . He normally has a calpol melt and a drink then goes straight to bed - I think it’s exacerbated by the fact he lets it get bad before he says anything. I was the same, though mum never really believed me how bad it was.

When mine are really bad a panadol in weak squash, ibuprofen, cool flannel on forehead and back of neck and sleep all help. But you’re right, stomachs do seize up so if she’s waiting till she’s past the point of no return then no medicine will really work I don’t think.

Migraines are so shit.

Oh I forgot - make sure you get a formal diagnosis from the GP and then you should be able to get a letter to support the sickness thing. I wasn’t diagnosed till I was over 30, as previously mentioned my mum was very much a ‘stop making a fuss’ type!

My Ds had such a rough time with migraines from the age of 3 (abdominal migraine) up until teenage years (head migraine)
He would vomit constantly with it for between 12 - 18 hours, sleep, then it would end as quickly as it began.
They ruled his life for years, but he grew out of them once he hit puberty. One thing I will say is that once diagnosed, school were always excellent at allowing him back after an attack - if he had two days off each time he would have missed so much.
Sadly there is little they can take medicine wise until age 12, after which, there are lots to try. They became a way of life for us.
There is possibly light at the end of the tunnel though as he rarely suffers now.

Vomiting wise, ask about scopolamine patches - there are child versions. It's an anti sickness stick on patch which is for travel sickness but I use it for migraines where I can't keep anything down as well as my nasal spray triptans.

Great alternative to pills but they aren't quick acting - it takes a few hours but it does work.

My dd started getting really bad headaches and feeling sick when she was about 9 and it coincided with a growth spurt. We thought it was migraine, and so did the GP.

By sheer coincidence I mentioned it to my osteopath. She suggested that she take a look at her, and she manipulated her neck and spine. Turned out her head wasn't on the top of her neck straight, and the growth spurt and maturing skeleton had brought on symptoms, which hadn't been evident before. The osteopath said she'd probably been like it from birth and it had happened during delivery (back to back). After having her head and neck aligned properly, the headaches disappeared.

You said that your dd is getting them after lunch. Perhaps it’s an intolerance to something in her lunch. A food diary may help.

This is some reading matter on the subject
www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/symptom-factsheets/headaches-and-migraines

Mine started around my fifth birthday so I don't think it was puberty linked but they stopped overnight when I had my ovaries removed so pretty sudden menopause and I've rarely had one since. So one would suggest hormonal and the other not.