4 YO saying about headaches...

[mustbrushhair]

DD just turns 4. Past few months on & off she complains of a headache, usually in her forehead. She had an eye tests which was fine. The headaches seems very fleeting, she will say she has one, if you leave it ten mins & ask again she then says she's fine. I've kept a diary the last few weeks & it seems that she will go a week without mentioning anything, then the next week she will mention it a couple times. No particular time of day, can be at bed time or in the middle of the day. Just wondered if anyone else's child of similar age even says they get headaches?

Anyone?!

does she go to school?
dc had similar. turned out they didn't eat or drink at all at school too busy playing and that caused it.

My 3.5 year old has been complaining of headaches the last few weeks. Exactly the same, don't seem to last long. I've been giving her a drink and checking in 10 minutes and it's usually gone by then. Not a clue what's going on tho!

Screen time? My dc has recently been complaining of headaches and reducing screen time was first on our list.

Thanks for the replies. @Fipfop so strange isn't it. It's been going on since about January for us & touch wood no other symptoms but I'm not sure when to worry & consult a Dr or if everything stays the same & she's well as she is now, just think it's almost something to say?! In the last 24 hours she's said her head hurts twice, but also her ankle, tummy & throat 🫠 oh & knee!

Are they dehydrated?

@newnamenewmane No definitely not.

@mustbrushhair personally If in doubt I’d seek medical advice , have nursery \ preschool picked up on anything? Any mention of the headaches there ?

@Nattertatter03 No nothing at all. They're so fleeting anyway. We saw a paediatrician a few weeks ago who wasn't concerned & said if they become an issue, I.e, stop her doing her usual activities then to go back...but none of my friends kids ever complain of headaches. I just find it very odd.

My dd had this it was sinusitis. It had gone on for a few weeks. Eyes tested. They asked if had a cold or anything. I said yes a few weeks prior to the headaches starting. And they reckoned sinusitis.
Antibiotics given after 4 days she was so snotty it was all coming out. She then said I blew her nose.. Well I've never seen anything like it tmi.

No headaches since

I'm wondering whether to push for an MRI. We are seeing her paediatrician next week who she sees every 12 months for an unrelated issue. She's said it every day the last few days but no joke when I say they are gone again within 2 mins if you ask her. Makes no sense. DP reckons she's just saying it for something to say/a reaction. No other 'worrying' symptoms & she does often complain of things hurting (again for 2 mins) so difficult to know what the right thing to do is here.

Hi, are they having any nausea, dizziness or balance issues?

@supiciousminds No, none, touch wood.

@mustbrushhair my DD was the same age (actually, probably a bit younger) when she started complaining of headaches. We average around 1 a month. They are never bad enough to make her feel very poorly, but she will just say that her head hurts (usually her forehead). Mostly, she has them if she is unwell.

I have seen a paediatrician twice with her and she was diagnosed as having simple headaches. They are very common in children (especially girls) but some children can have headaches as tummy aches, as the child can't define where the pain actually is!

Red flags; headaches in morning / that wake child from their sleep, headaches with associated nausea / vomiting, vomiting without having to strain, change in vision (blurry etc) and headaches that are persistent or get worse over time.

Is she highly sensitive? Emotionally I mean. I suffered from a lot of headaches as a child, and looking back I just think it was overstimulation and the physical stress caused from this, but I can remember my mum asking the doctors about it numerous times and worrying about worse case scenarios.

@Blossomandblooms She says it daily atm almost but if you ask her 60 seconds later she says she's ok. I do wonder if it's something to say, or if she's tired she just says it. Before this she said she had stomach aches for ages but again they never came to much. It's so difficult to know whether they're telling the truth or not. There's no other symptoms (luckily) but I know I'll be a nervous wreck if she's sick. Which could be completely unrelated!

My DS went through a phase of this at roughly the same age. It seemed to go on for ages and eye test fine . He just grew out of it, never knew what caused it.

@IfDreamsWereWings That's interesting to hear.. this has been going on since January.. she was so poorly over Xmas, with flu, sick bugs, endless coughs etc that it didn't surprise me she said she had headaches for a while. Will see what the paediatrician says next week...

@pillowpuff that's what I sometimes think my DD does - she will be playing and then say "I've got a headache" and then go off and do something else. If I ask at the time she will change the topic / won't remember it later on. I don't know if she says it for attention / out of habit. Mind you, I did her hair in a ponytail the other day and she said "I've got a headache" but what she meant was that her hair was too tight on top of her head, so it wasn't "actually" a headache. Kids and their headaches will be the ruin of me!

I do get worried about headaches as my lovely dad has a brain tumour so I'm always on high alert for signs and symptoms anyway

I'd push for a scan. Not to scare you as there are many innocent explanations but my 2.5 had similar (and most of her headaches were just fleetingly mentioned and not obviously distressing for her). For her it was a tumour and she was rushed for emergency surgery that saved her life.

I've added some information from headsmart in case any of the other things mentioned raise red flags.

Hey @Somuchgoo thanks for your post, how is your DD now?
Thank you for Head Smart - I have looked at their website recently. Did your DD have any other symptoms, apart from the fleeting headaches?

@Somuchgoo that's so worrying. I took my DD to ED over a year ago due to headaches lasting over a week, associated vomiting, waking her up and making her feel super ill. The consultant I saw said he was totally not concerned as "lots of children have headaches" and he was previously a paediatrician so "knew what he was talking about". You do take their word for it, but reading that info you kindly posted, it sometimes does make me think twice.

My Dad was diagnosed following an urgent CT scan after he had a big seizure. He had had a 2 month headache spell with vision changes which the GP put down to "old age". His is luckily a slow growing one but it really shocked us, as you put your faith in the doctor that everything was fine.

Also, I hope your little DD is OK x

Are they an anxious child? Headaches and tummy aches are signs of anxiety in children, much easier for them to express physical needs than their emotions at that age. Worth ruling out anyway.