DS' regular headaches!

[littlem133]

DS aged 7 is sent home from school I would guess once a month with a bad headache. He has a mild temperature with it and the headache lasts a few days. I'm convinced he is poorly and not putting it on as 1- it's a long time for a 7yr old to put on the pretence, 2-I can see it in his eyes and he cries in pain and 3-he misses out on fun stuff and not just the 'boring lessons' at school! We've been to the GP a couple of times and been fobbed off with no obvious issue. We're going back. I'm planning on taking a print out of his attendance at school to show how often he's poorly and whether there's a pattern. Any thing else people can advise? I'm not asking dr google as I don't want to panic myself!!

Could he be having migraines? They aren't just an adult thing - my brother had them from about the same age, mine didn't really kicking in until I was a teenager.

I agree - sounds like migraines. Can he make a food journal?

I get migraines from eating avocados (which I find really sad because I LOVE them)

Avavardos?! Never heard that one before. I've had migraines from 15 yrs old but they were quite different. They are set off by artificial light. His headaches can last a week. Isn't that too long for a migraine? It's aggravated by quick movements, and loud noises but not light. To me his voice sounds a bit different. I can tell he's in pain as he's wincing and frowning a lot.

If not migraine perhaps cluster headaches. My migraines can last up to 4 days and i suffered from a young age but not treated til high school. Dont let gp fob you off. Migraines often run in the family. A diary would be a good tool to take to gp, there must be an app that would help

migraineresearchfoundation.org/about-migraine/migraine-in-kids-and-teens/

My migraines can be up to a week without the proper treatment. Some people's last minutes or hours, others are stuck with it for days at a time.

And yes, artificial light can trigger mine. As can dehydration and being overheated by central heating (hospitals are just hell with the lights and the heat).

Sorry, meant to say, could it be the lighting at school affecting him? With migraine already in the family, it's worth checking - it can be familial.

Definitely sounds like migraine. My nephew would get a migraine as a child from growth spurts. My Dsis always knew where he would he due the next size up in clothes! Migraine can also cause tummy pain in children (just mentioning incase he has tummy pain alongside head pain).

I developed migraines aged 30 and have found many triggers...strip lights, heat, dehydration, too much sugar or caffeine, not enough sugar or caffeine (when I crash), not eating regularly and properly (if I skip lunch or have a late one I'm guaranteed a migraine). Strong smells like perfume can trigger too. Going from light to dark quickly (like when you look at bright sunlight then go into a dark shop). I have some triggers I've not put my finger on yet. It's miserable but easier now I'm more aware of triggers.

Get your son to keep a diary (or you can) of foods, activities and when they hit.

Interested to read about avocados as I've noticed twice after eating them I've developed migraines and I hoped it was a coincidence but maybe not...

Go back to GP and demand an appropriate referral. I'd want all the serious things like a brain tumour expressly ruled out personally.

Please don't start googling as you'll see just what you don't want to see, but do mention to your GP that you would want nasties us mums worry about ruled out. S/hell be able to reassure you as they are trained to spot the signs of more sinister causes, but I've learnt that we need to be clear and specific with doctors about our worries. Migraines and cluster headaches do happen to children as well as adults, and they need to be managed properly.

Every time I eat avocado I have a migraine,and the reason I know is because I would leave it a few months and think 'oh it was just a coincidence' and try again and then have to go to bed because it was so painful, migraines are worse than headaches (as op knows) you really can't see or do anything.

Also, a pp mentioned tummy pain - I think this is also a symptom that sometimes accompanies my migraines!

I know someone who got them from.artificial lights too, he went to a specialist who suffered from migraine when eating bananas.

Has he been for an eye test recently? Glasses could help? (Ruling out all options)

I had awful migraines as a child. School lighting was awful. One of the halls had a weird speckled floor that would reflect the lights and I'd be in agony. In the end I was actually permanently excused from anything happening in that room.

Turns out mine was caused by a milk allergy. I still get them if I accidently have milk now and they last days until the milk is out of my system