4 year old son diagnosed with migraines?

[noonoonukins]

Hello has anyone had similar experience please…?
my just 4 year old son has been diagnosed with migraines. I’m so worried about other sinister things and my anxiety is taking over.

His Episodes started back in May 2023.
at the end of a long day at nursery he would become pale, say his eye brow Hurts and he hates the smells he can smell like food at the time and then sometimes before/ sometimes after falling asleep would vomit for the rest of the night then seem to either be exhausted and just want to sleep the next morning or bounce back upon waking and seem fine again.
this has happened since every single month with 3-6 weeks in between each episode? He has just started school and is also very tired but happened twice since he started at the beginning of Sept. Within the last month he has had 4 night terrors as well as laughing in his sleep which of course I’ve been stupidly googling and. Now am worrying myself sick about neurological issues. **We have seen GP both NHS and privately who have both said they think this is migraines and that this does not warrant an MRI scan as this would be too traumatic for him. We also saw the paediatricians who said the same thing.
we have tried illuminating foods the only trigger we can link is tiredness?
Should I persue my worry and ask for MRI (apparently it’s the Paediatrician la who have to refer and not GP) or should I try to relax and accept his diagnosis?

I would Push for a scan

If you are really worried keep pushing.
However it sounds similar to me as a child. The first migraine I clearly remember having was age 7 but I’d been having them for a while by then - we called them sick headaches instead of migraines. I was on a school camp and I’d had them enough that no-one worried, but my parents came out to look after me.

The smells thing has always been an issue for me. Sometimes my head would imagine smells that weren’t there and I’d be sick as a result of ‘smelling’ them.

Tiredness is a big one for me. And thirst and hunger. A meal being an hour or two late can do it. A combination of tiredness and hunger and I’m screwed. I don’t even need to feel hungry - it’s a drop in blood sugar.

Being sick hurts like hell when I actually throw up but afterwards the pain often eases for about 30 minutes. If I can get to sleep in that time the migraine often clears. When I wake up I’m often lethargic for a few hours.

Your son does sound like these might be migraines. It’s not nice - sorry for him and you (my youngest gets them too and it’s horrible watching her with one.)

I can give you tips to help him if you’d like? Easing the pain and that sort of thing.

Yep… Push for a scan. The laughing in the sleep is indicative of a type of seizure. This little man needs urgent sleep studies.

I suffered migraines from 4 or 5 years old, my children unfortunately have too.
Is strongly recommend massively boosting his magnesium and b12 intake. These have been found to be medicinal in treating and preventing migraines and are classed as neuroceuticals. As an idea, for an adult is refined to hand 400mg per day of both b12 and magnesium if you are a sufferer. B vitamins are water double so any you don't need us excreted in urine, but maybe add in a magnesium supplement too.
Hydration and sleep are big factors. I find dioralyte type rehydration sachets can be helpful but getting sleep is a major factor.
Had he had an eye test out of interest? Might be worth it if not.

I don't think migraine is as rate as might be imagined in children and is diagnosed easily but if you are very concerned insist in seeing a paediatric neurologist. Having my child that age scanned( for something else) was traumatic for her so if near this in mind. They don't sedate children for scans and they are big and noisy, your head is trapped in a cage and it's scary, you have to be very still. I would avoid this if I could personally.

Please don’t give your kid supplements until you know if they need them. They can test for this. Seizure disorders and migraines can be related.

My daughter aged 3.5 years also suffers with regular migraine and vomiting every couple of weeks. She also had night terrors recently and I was worried sick. She had an MRI brain scan last week and it was clear. Prescribed anti-sickness meds for when she has the next episode. Try not to worry. Trust your gut though if you feel it is getting worse push for the MRI. It would most likely need to be a general anestetic given the age so bear that in mind.

One of my offspring has migraines that started when they were very young. They gradually reduced in frequency as they matured and we got better at avoiding their triggers, excitement and tiredness were two. They have migraines as an adult but infrequently.

I kept records for 6 months before we saw our GP and he referred us to a paediatrician who confirmed the diagnosis. We didn't have scans but that is up to you to decide.

The key for my offspring was taking pain killers as soon as the warning signs started. We were advised it was better safe than sorry and it did really help.

I hope you get answers, migraines aren't fun but we found them manageable, Once we'd learnt to leave where we were and medicate the moment they felt one coming, quite a few car vomit incidents before we figured that out.

@Fraaahnces actually the neurological level deficits apparently can't be measured.i speak as someine with both a seizure disorder and migraine both of which have been resustant to cinventiinal treatment. It was actually a special nhs consultant who advised this, firstly to me then regarding my son
I'm not advocating directly giving these to a child but asking about suitable neuroceutical doses. It's a new area of medicine and has only been becoming known amongst most neurologists recently.
B vitamins dont hurt as they are water soluble and excreted, magnesium uptake is inhibited in some neurological condition leading to requirement for higher levels. It's an avenue the op can investigate.

I come on all these threads and say to push for a mri. Yes this is based on experience, but you don't mess with heads. Better a tricky scan then some of the alternatives.

It's almost certainly nothing to worry about but a scan is the best way to be sure. A prompt scan probably saved my daughter's life and certainly saved her from significant disability.

Here is what they should be taking into account. It's from a charity called head smart.

The rest I'll put in a new message.

The rest