What can cause sickness &a headaches?

[FrankyStein]

Would be grateful for any thoughts.

10 year old boy, good health. He does have asthma but this is well controlled. Appetite enormous as always.

Since the beginning of the school holidays he's complained of feeling nauseous and having a headache. No pattern to it, not worse in the morning or evening, doesn't wake him at night and he's never actually vomiting

At fist I thought it was car sickness. He can be leaping about singing one moment and then he says he feels sick and has a headache. Ten mins later - he's ok

No pain in his stomach. No balance issues. No searing pains, he can be distracted from it too. This week I took him to the doctors. He was seen yesterday and she said she is confident this is migrainous or tension headaches. Said it was not at all brain related. Looked at me as if I was mad when I pressed her on this as of course this is my worry. Said to try nurofen.

He had a sight test a fortnight ago and his prescription has doubled in four months (no surprise as I am -8 with varifocals now). I've got another test booked at an independent optician specialising in kids on Friday - just in case this is his glasses and he said any old rubbish in the first test

I've got him sickness bands and I've upped his fluids.

As it's been the holidays, screen time has been almost constant so it could be this I suppose

Anyway, any ideas? I'm really worried despite the doctor telling me it was certainly not what I thought deep down

Oh and no emotional issues or worries about school. He's also not putting it on as that's my other child's forte!!

Low blood sugar?

Surely can't be? Not considered that

Here is a very typical day

Wholemeal toast with 1/2 can beans and sprinkling of cheese
Fruit smoothie or milk or water

Pear
Carrot
Rice cake with peanut butter

Lunch of scrambled eggs or ham or chicken sandwich with crisps and veg sticks. Biscuit

Snack of whatever he gets his hands on

Dinner is cottage pie or prawn curry or roast chicken served with veg and the usual accompaniments

Water to drink

Never seems to go more than an hour without eating!

I immediately thought migraine. My daughter suffered cyclic migraines from about the age of 5/6 sometimes she would have no headache just nausea and/or vomiting. There is a hereditary link with migraines. The opticians are brillant and can rule out lots of issues lovely, so I think that's reassuring.

Optician a few weeks back said all looked absolutely fine but he'd gone from -.75 to -1.25. Since march!

Can a migraine be constant then in a child? I'd describe it as low level nausea and low level headache which he can be distracted from after a short while

I've also never had a migraine. I'll ask my mum and his dad

Screen time should be limited.
Where is your boiler and have you got a CO2 monitor?

Franky I don't know. My dd had them every so often but not constant. It would hit with a bang and clear up in a few days. Was a miserable time for all of us.
I'd say this optician will put your mind at ease, did they put the drops in and take pictures of his eyes? My optician diagnosed my condition when gp couldn't.

My boiler is in the kitchen and his room is directly above it. We are further up as in a town house. I've considered this and have BG coming to service it on the 18th. It was last serviced maybe 5 years ago. My house is 13 years old

However I don't think this would account for him feeling rubbish when at his dad's every other weekend which he does so the symptoms follow him

When I had growth spurts as a child I got similar symptoms and it was low blood sugar. Only lasted a couple of months at a time and if just have some fruit of honey on toast and a big drink and would feel better within about 20 minutes. I outgrew it at around 10 when I'd recognise it coming on before it was an issue.

No drops maud but a very thorough look in his eyes all around with the torch

Ah yes limiting screen time! Bloody next to impossible. He's on it literally all day, playing games and watching Netflix shows or YouTube - sometimes two at once on a split screen. I drag him out and we go on walks etc but he's very iPad addicted like all his friends

I'm going to introduce iPad rules as from tomorrow when he's back at school

Have you considered keeping a food diary? If it is migraine related there may be trigger foods / ingredients that might be linked?

I could try a food diary yes.

He just eats so bloody much though. And he's not a picky eater .. loads of veg and chicken and fish and fruit. Fair bit of junk too I suppose but his diet is balanced.

He also eats within ten or fifteen mins of eating usually. Tomorrow will be wholemeal toast with ham & cheese with a small handful of mixed nuts, a kiwi fruit and glass of milk

He never has cereal. I try and give him something filling and healthy

*eats within ten to fifteen mins of getting up

Franky given that his prescription has changed quite a lot, I would ask the optician to take the computerised images of his eyes. Sorry I've no idea of the jargon and god knows I should
I'm in the same boat re screen time. Flipping YouTube gamers are all the rage here at the mo. I hear ld shadow lady's voice in my sleep.

Has it changed any since the prescription changed? I get this when my prescription is wrong.

It could also be eye strain or posture related from the screen time.

A long shot is to try disabling bluetooth on every device in the house. It gives me tension headaches for some reason.

Yes doesn't seem likely to be blood sugar on that diet

I wouldn't think eye strain etc as you'd probably see a pattern in that.

Please follow your instinct and take him back to the gp. You'll need to be pushy but push for a referral to a children's specialist. If you are worried then you should keep pushing until you get an answer.

I see on dr google dramatic changes in eyesight can actually be sign of high blood sugar I e diabetes....
hopefully it's not but whatever you do need to go back to a dr of some sorts.

Yes I'll see how he goes. I do trust in a doctors years of training so I'm reassured it isn't my immediate panicky thought but diabetes is a consideration ... he's not got a chronic thirst though

You should trust your gut more than a dr who only examines him for a few minutes. I'm sorry to say that but I've had quite a lot of experience with children and gps and illness and whilst they are good they will always just go for easy explanation/dismiss you unless you really communicate to them you are worried. they do have years of training but not years of training in your child and don't know your child like you do. Always trust your gut.

I am trusting my gut. And my gut is telling me to believe the doctor as far as things go. She told me it wasn't what I was thinking and I believe that. She's a great doctor and certainly didn't dismiss me

Trouble is, I'd like to try and find out what it is.

How could she tell you it wasn't brain related? Did she do an MRI or similar to see? See she did dismiss you.

Thanks for your input Apples. You're not particularly helping me now though but thanks for the contribution.

I'm sorry - I can't tell you what it is over the internet. Im not trying to worry you just help you see the only way you'll find out what it is is to take him back and push for a proper answer. Hopefully it's nothing but don't be fobbed by them saying give him neurofen. Ask about the change in his eyesight along with the sickness.