4 year old headache

[Michaelaschl]

2 days ago my daughter was in the car and said her head was hurting, I asked her where it was hurting and she pointed above her ear on her left side. She mentioned it maybe twice that day but never any tears or obvious distress with it. The next morning she woke up fine but as the day went on she started complaining again. At one point I was tickling her and she must've moved a certain way because she put her hand on her head above her ear but this time on the right side. She just said ow my head hurts again. No tears. Later that night, we were racing up the stairs, she was on all fours bent over, once we got upstairs she stood up and started sobbing and ran to me as fast as she could. Obvious pain and fear in her eyes. I haven't been able to sleep, googling why a 4 year old would be experiencing a headache or head pain. Of course I can't get worst case scenarios out of my head. I've already convinced myself she has a brain tumor.
She has no fever. No nausea. Not waking in the night from pain. Not extra tired. No ear infection or throat issues. Just head pain. Playing/eating as normal.
Does anyone have a similar situation they can share that is positive? Anyone's 4 yo have occasional headaches? So far she hasnt complained today but now I am on edge expecting her to or for worse symptoms to start developing.

I’m thinking inner ear problem as it’s when she’s moving ?
Possibly starting with an infection, but her body is fighting it so no symptoms.
Does she drink enough ?

How is her hair done? Tight ponytails can cause headaches or pain, same can happen with Alice bands.

Does it respond to paracetamol or ibuprofen?

Does the pain come when moving her head in certain directions does she feel something rolling or clogged in her ear?

Is it sore to touch around the area? Any swelling, redness or injury hidden by hair?

She usually does get enough to drink but I am increasing fluids today. I have an otoscope at home and I can't see any troubles in her ears. Of course I am not a doctor but all the fluid is clear.

Her hair was in a low pony because her hair was such a tangled mess, I quickly put it up.

I didn't try any medicine because I wanted to get an idea of the natural progression of the pain or discomfort.

Well, she can ran, jump, bend over without pain then all of the sudden something sparks it. She did cry and hold her head when I was brushing through her hair. I cant find any red marks on her scalp. I'll ask her if she feels pain on the outside of her head or inside and she says inside.

I started rubbing her head and asked if it felt better and she said yes. No injury I don't think.

She did get a lot of screen time the first day of complaining.

How is her vision ?

As in her eye sight ?

She hasn't had an eye exam in 2 years but all checked out then. During the obvious pain attack last night, she didn't seem to be having any visual disturbances.

Have you done a Covid test? It’s a very common symptom for children. My daughter had never complained of a headache before but it was her first symptom when she had Covid.

Give her something for the pain and go to the doctor. Simple as that.

Turns out headache is THE most common symptom of Covid in children - www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(21)00198-X/fulltext

I was going to say Covid. It was my daughters first and only noticeable symptom. But we were on the look out as other family members had already tested positive. Calpol did the trick, but she did complain about it a few times over the course of a few days. I had similar and mine was compounded with sinus pain. If I rushed about to much my head would throb.

I havent had her tested. I definitely will though. We had covid last year and her symptoms were stuffy nose and sleeping extra but within 2 days she was fine and she never had a fever.
Me and her dad are vaccinated and we are still social distancing and wearing mask. I'd hate for her to be going through covid again.

Oh I know! My covid headache was horrible. I've never experienced such a terrible pain.

My 6 year old DS started complaining about headaches a few months back. Like you I got super anxious. We got his eyes checked and it turned out he needed glasses. Just to be on the safe side we also had an MRI scan done but thankfully all came out clear.

Test for covid, if not that, then docs as prob ear infection

Did you get any answers for this ? My daughter is four and we are having exact same situation ! So well in herself with these short spells of fleeting pain ?!

My DD was the same with sudden headaches (she’s now 6 and these started when she was 3). Some kids do gets lots of headaches - could be due to covid (her covid headache was horrendous and had her in tears). My consultant told me that if her headaches were progressively worse over a couple weeks, change in behaviour, vomiting with pain / headaches when she woke up or went to bed then to go to GP. When kids are little, headaches manifest as tummy aches, so it’s only when they get bigger that they recognise the pain is actually in their heads.

Some children suffer with headaches when they have a virus or run around too much (my DCs always get them).

if they are h steady in feet etc, or have any of the red flags listed above, get their eyes checked immediately at an opticians and contact GP.

So that weird episode lasted on and off for 3 days. She hasn't had anything like that since. No idea what it was. Couldve been something viral that was just presenting as headache. It was odd and still has me a little uneasy to be honest.

@RosiePosie27 thanks for reply . My little girl has no red flags . Perfectly well apart from these fleeting headaches lasting literally seconds and they are so far and few between . Very strange but again she will be pre disposed as I am a chronic migraine sufferer myself

@Lkakpk I was told that girls are more prone to headaches due to hormones - my DD often has headaches (fleeting sharp pain that can appear anywhere on her head) and I was told by her consultant (she is coeliac) just to give calpol if the pain was a bit much for her. Luckily, her episodes are very sporadic - she can have a few over a couple of weeks (usually she then has a snotty nose / cold) and then go months without one. I keep a detailed diary of hers so I can keep an eye out for potential triggers.