Experience of child migraines?

[Sleepdeprived42long]

Hi, DS (age7) has had episodes of headache, followed by being sick, followed by sleep and then totally fine approx every 3 months for the last 3/4 years. I mentioned to doc who thought migraine although neither my husband or I have them. With ibuprofen I’ve managed to catch one early and avoid DS being sick. They seem to be getting slightly more regular though-every 2 months now.

Anyone have any experience of children with migraines? I feel helpless and hate seeing him in so much distress :( Ive read that some children grow out of them-has anyone else found that?

I was your child, to the letter.

From age 6 or 7, I had migraines pretty much once every few months. The pain would become blinding, I’d vomit, I’d sleep for a Few hours , and I’d wake up 100% well.

Sadly no real cause was ever identified- possibly dietary, possibly hormones, but they stopped when I reached my late teens/early twenties.

It’s shit, it really is, but not an awful lot you can do IME.

My DS had migraines like that. He was prescribed beta blockers but, at 8, he was diagnosed with coeliac disease. The GF diet has stopped the migraines. They return if he’s accidentally glutened.

@VaguelyInteresting sorry to hear you had similar. I am in awe at how brave my DS is even though he’s clearly in pain and is violently sick with it. I’m glad to hear they did eventually pass for you.

@BeyondOurReef interesting that gluten was a trigger for your DS. Did you identify that through a food diary? It seems to me like exercise/tiredness and delayed meal times might be triggers for my DS as haven’t really seen a link to particular foods.

My little boy is 5 and has had them since age 4. Classic migraine symptoms- horrendous head pain, vomits, sleeps and wakes up fine. We saw a paediatrician just this week actually as he's young to have them and she said to keep an eye out for triggers like dehydration, foods, tiredness. She also said it's more of a worry if they have them persistently (as in all-day), when lying down or constantly waking with them.
None of this really helps stop them of course but it reassured me that while they're awful for my son, there's not a sinister cause at least. Incidentally, the GP told me ibuprofen is best for migraines, and he's told me similar for mine (I get them too - so pretty sure the cause is hereditary for my boy)

Does he have issues with balance? Coordination? Gross motor skills with random issues with fine motor skills? Does he get limb pain? Fatigue? Does he have a weird dimple about the crack of his bottom or an area of skin there that has a cluster of hair or a slightly blue tinge?

If you answer yes to any of this I would push hard for a paediatric appointment and an MRI.

I won't go into why because I don't want to upset you if I'm way off the mark but what you've said sounds awfully familiar.

@r0ck sorry to hear you’ve had the same with your son but thanks for sharing what you were told by doc. Yes I think I’m going to have to be so diligent about having ibuprofen with me as it only seems to work if I give him it from the very first moment he says he’s got headache. Wondering about school though-never had to ask them to keep/administrator medication.

This was me! Started similar age and then slowed in my teens and 20s and just have the odd one now but no vomiting. Ibuprofen and a sleep were the key. Trying to relax to fall asleep was key and the room needed to be dark.
I have triggers for them, too bright/sunny, too hot, hungry, thirsty and too stressed or excited. If I feel it coming I'll eat and have a drink and try to take it easy. I always carry ibuprofen now

@loopyapp no no issues with balance or dimple. Think it is migraines.

@Onemorebaby sorry to hear you’ve experienced similar but glad you did grow out of the worst of them. Yes I think my sons triggers are similar. My husband and I have never experienced migraines so it’s a bit of a learning curve for us!

Two of my DC had them.DC1's were mainly when they had a temperature although citrus fruits seemed to be a trigger. They started at about 8.In general too much or too little sleep are the commonest triggers but even if you avoid triggers they may still get migraine. As an adult DC1 hardly gets them.DC 3 started when they were about 13 and happened every month or so taking a couple of days out of the school week until they were put on prophylactic propranolol which worked wonders. Only identified triggers were getting very hot and bothered at games or PE.They are 20 now and rarely get them , maybe every 3 months or so . They are also, usually not as bad .They remain on prophylaxis. We have a very strong family history on my side of the family.

[quote Sleepdeprived42long]@loopyapp no no issues with balance or dimple. Think it is migraines.[/quote]
Brilliant :) .. well not for him as migraines suck.. try and reduce sugar intake and avoid chocolate or other caffinated food and drinks

Started mine at 3; still having them in my 50s, unfortunately. I suspect boys are more likely to grow out of them than girls, due to the period/ hormones link. The good news is that modern prophylactics and triptans have stopped the dreadful pain and uncontrollable vomiting that I had as a child. Can’t wait for the menopause to kick in properly!

Yes my ds has them. I think he had them as a baby but it wasn't particularly obvious until he got to about 6.

Initially told to take paracetamol and ibuprofen but he now has something stronger. They completely wipe him out and he is often sick with them.

Get meds in him as soon as he complains.

Mine is now 14. He has fizzy pop. Tablets and sleeps it off.

We aren't really sure what triggers them. Late nights don't help but no other obvious trigger.

[quote Sleepdeprived42long]@BeyondOurReef interesting that gluten was a trigger for your DS. Did you identify that through a food diary? It seems to me like exercise/tiredness and delayed meal times might be triggers for my DS as haven’t really seen a link to particular foods.[/quote]
No. We were referred to paediatrics for joint pains and migraines. He has no gastrointestinal symptoms. The consultant suggested it might be coeliac and did a blood test, which came back with extremely high results.

Once he was on the GF diet, the migraines tailed off and now are extremely rare events.

@VaguelyInteresting

I was your child, to the letter.

From age 6 or 7, I had migraines pretty much once every few months. The pain would become blinding, I’d vomit, I’d sleep for a Few hours , and I’d wake up 100% well.

Sadly no real cause was ever identified- possibly dietary, possibly hormones, but they stopped when I reached my late teens/early twenties.

It’s shit, it really is, but not an awful lot you can do IME.

Me too.

My daughter had exactly the same, to the letter. Nothing helped (other than sometimes catching it early with ibuprofen) but she grew out of them by 13/14, bar the very very occasional episode. Stress was definitely a trigger.

Interestingly as pp mentioned, coke and fizzy drinks also seemed to help prevent/control them as she got older.

DD1 (25) has had migraines since she was 6 and DD2 (21) since she 8. They both still suffer badly with them. DD3 (14) has never had one. I suffered badly until the menopause. Migraines are horrendous!

My 12 yr old ds has had migraines for several years. Sounds very similar, headache then wants to lie down, sometimes sick then feels better after sleep. We were using ibuprofen but they started to become more frequent and last longer so saw paediatrics who prescribed zolmitriptin. It dissolves on his tongue and he has to take it at the first sign of a migraine. It’s working well and although he goes to lie down they don’t become so bad and go away quicker. He also has ondansetron in case he feels sick. The paediatrician said the other option if they become too regular would be to take daily medication, probably propanalol.

I started migraines exactly as you describe at about 8 and still get them now late 30s. They've changed over the years so I'm rarely sick now, often get aura, sometimes only aura or weeks of very bad headaches instead of a full migraine. Mine is classed as chronic migraine due to the number of days a month I have migraine symptoms.

I have so many triggers - at times it's been certain foods, but it can be bright light or certain other lights, dehydration, tiredness, stress, hunger, being overexcited, being too hot. Supermarkets and primarks can bring them on too.

I started with migraines when I was about 11. The first one I literally thought I was dying as I had terrible visual disturbances and then the sensation that my head was about to explode. My Dad and brother also suffered from migraines so Dad was able to recognise what was going on and calm me down. I had fairly frequent classic migraine until I was in my mid 20s and then had a period of years with none until they started again in my early 40s, this time as hemiplegic migraine, which again was very scary at first. I haven't had any since the menopause though so fingers crossed that's it!
As several PPs have mentioned, sugary drinks or sweets could sometimes abort an attack for me if I had them at the first signs of an attack. Missing meals was a definite trigger, but even when I hadn't missrd a meal, sugar seemed to help. School years were a nightmare as they wouldn't believe me so I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything and aleays ended up with a full blown attack. It was better once I got to University and had more control of when I ate and drank, though my lively best friend became quite the expert on spotting the signs and force feeding me before things got bad. I think people thought I was drunk or drugged a lot of the time when attacks were just starting!

Thanks everyone for all your replies. Although sorry to hear so many of you have also suffered from a young age. Really helpful for my understanding as I don’t suffer but can see how awful it makes our DS feel :(

DS16 and I have them and exactly as you say. DS is always sick, sleeps and then groggy/hungover for another day or so. Triggers we've found:

Not enough sleep
Low blood sugar
Crick in neck/bad posture
Perfumes/candles/air fresheners
Bonfires (!)
Paint (household)
Nail varnish/solvents (whiteboard markers/Sharpies)
Vapeing (if kids do it on the bus)

So, have to absolutely avoid the perfume/candle section of Department stores.

He may over time notice either word things with his eyes (patterns/blind spots) or his sensation (numbness or tingling) before they fully start which may mean medication has a chance to work if taken then).

Poor poor thing

My DS suffered with migraines from the age of 3, full on disturbed vision, huge light sensitivity and vomiting. We struggled to find a trigger apart from stress and the thing that really helped him was chiropractic treatment. Interestingly the chiropractor found the point that caused him the most pain was the place where the forceps were during his delivery.

Preventative medication didn't agree with my DS and luckily he seems to have mostly have grown out of them. Migraines are awful