Headache every bedtime 7 year old

[Curlywurly75]

I'm going to contact the GP next week but in the meantime would appreciate advice, please.

This has been happening since I think just before Christmas. DS is absolutely fine during the day - lively, happy etc. About 2 minutes after I've said goodnight and left his room, he comes downstairs to say his head is hurting. At first, I thought it was a ploy to delay BT. But I don't think it is. He sometimes describes it as tingling and weirdly he often says he gets a pain/tingling in his left knee at the same time. He says the pain is at the top of his forehead and I think around his head.

He says the pain is about 8/10 but to me, he doesn't seem to be in that much pain - still chatty etc. I definitely wouldn't say he seems like he's having a migraine or anything as bad as that. He seems to be able to get to sleep pretty quickly - if he gets out of bed again to say it still hurtd, we give meds. He sleeps all night and is fine in the mornings.

He wears glasses and his prescription was slightly weakened in November, if that's relevant.

Why would he only get them as soon as he goes to bed? I wondered if it was something to do with lying down- which then sent my imagination into overdrive about there being pressure in his head. And what's with the leg? I also wondered if it was stress or worry about the whole lockdown situation although he seems pretty much OK with it all - and again, if it was that, why only at BT?

That's a good idea @colouringindoors What incentives did you use?

@paperdolly he doesn't have independent Internet access so no, it's not that. And I can see why people are wondering whether it's anxiety (the optician asked me that too) but we've had experience of worrying manifesting itself physically in the past and with him, it's always in the form of a tummy ache. Although I'm not ruling it out completely.

I've just had another thought:

The fact that your son has recently had his eyes examined by an optician is also reassuring. Brain tumours can raise the pressure in the skull and cause changes to the eyes that are often picked up in an eye examination. While a normal examination doesn't completely rule out problems, the fact that the examination was normal is a good thing! Hope you manage to get an appointment soon.

Thank you @GwendolineMarysLaces I spoke with a Dr today - he's not concerned but is going to get bloods done just to check.

Ah good to check bloods to be on the safe side.

I have to say I used sweets as an incentive kids only normally have them on Sundays and I thought - and still think - it was worth it!

But whatever motivates your son - that you're happy with. Sweets wouldn't have worked with my son!

Headaches are very common and brain tumours are rare. Most kids with brain tumours will have additional symptoms as well as headaches, the headaches are most likely to happen after a prolonged period lying down and may cause vomiting as well. My 11 year old has been complaining about headaches every few days at the moment, generally in the evening after looking at a screen all day home learning. I’m trying not to panic, though I also catastrophise over anything to do with the children’s health. How is your son?

Hi @Tholeonagain We had the bloods done and are awaiting results. Since I posted, I've been cutting down screen time in the afternoon - particularly playing console games - and he's only had one headache. So I'm hoping it was just that but I will update when results are in.
Hope your child is ok. x

So, results showed everything was in range. His white blood cell count was slightly low but not a level for concern according to the GP (anybody know why it would be slightly low?). Since we've stopped him playing computer games late afternoon/early evening, he's only had one headache so it looks like that might have been the problem.