Migraine

[thornrose]

I wonder if it is possible for children to have migraines at 8yo? I have very occasional migraines with visual disturbances to start with then the headache and nausea. I first had them when I was about 14 I think.
My dd got very panicky last night and said that she could only see half of my face, it was late and I put her to bed. She then started saying she had a headache. She hasn't been herself today, saying that her head hurts when she moves it and generally been a bit weak and wobbly. It sounds like migraine to me, anyone know if it can occur this young?

first time I hear of a migraine that young. Which doesn't necessarily means they don't occur at this age.

I get migraines and sometimes visual disturbances but so much as not seeing someone's half of the face... I would take her to the GP for a check up, better to err on the side of caution

I think it is a bit young too! She has AS and has very high anxiety levels at times, it could be related to anxiety?

Yes, it's possible - had my first at 3.
Would echo advice to take her to GP.

my brother had migraines from quite a young age, defo before 10, possibly even at 7. We know he did because he always used to go white as a sheet and throw up before they would go away. I have a vivid recollection of being out at a family meal in a chinese restaurant and him being sick on the table cos no one paid any attention to his complaining of feeling ill, and he was quite young then.

Strong family history of it - Dad, Dad's mum, Mum's mum, me, my bro. Mine started later, not sure about other family members.

Thanks, I hate taking her to GP with vague symptoms, always afraid of looking like a "neurotic" mother, silly I know!

sorry. should have said - you should still take her to the GP.

i've had migraines since about 2/3 years old

it's rare but possible.

I had visual disturbances and headaches from about 7 or 8....like blobs of mercury in my peripheral vision, zig zags etc
it is possible, but, as previous people have said, unusual
the half the face thing....when i was older, i'd get blind spots like that, so yeah, sounds like migraine to me
thankfully, i grew out of them, so fingers crossed

i had them from the age of 8. my mum took me to the doctors and they gave me this horrid powder stuff to take in water. can't remember what it was called though. years have passed, and numerous treatments later, only in the past year have i got them under control, by being put on beta blockers. I really feel for your dd. Take her to the docs to be safe. The sooner they are diagnosed the better.

Thanks for all helpful responses, I only had 3 or 4 migraines around puberty then maybe one a year through 20's then they stopped. I haven't had one for years and years now.
How will they diagnose it do you think?

I started having migraines at about 10 ish

DH had them right through his childhood, but they were started by a serious head injury.

DD just reminded me that once at school she "couldn't see properly", I'd forgotten (lax mother ) so that's two possible occasions.

My son has suffered like this since he was 7.
I kept a diary every time they happened, it was useful both for working out the triggers, and for explaining to the GP, she diagnosed it during a phone consultation, because the diary and symptoms were so classic!

His triggers are dehydration, tiredness and missing meals. He can cope with 1 of those, but 2 together is a garanteed headache

He used to get loads on a monday, after a late night sleepover on a sat night, poor thing. He can now recognise when he is pushing himself too far, and will stop for a drink and snack. He is 11.

Mmm, that makes sense, all routine tends to go out of the window first couple of weeks of school holidays, later nights being the main one.
I'm going to keep an eye on it and keep a diary, thanks.

for me it was usually brought on by not eating.... i was fussy eater and never ate much but if i missed meals i'd get the aura and an hour later be in blinding pain and vomiting. no medication ever worked, the only remedy was to curl up in bed in a nice dark room and try and sleep it out

smells and noises would make me ill so if it is migraines she get splease try and be aware of that, i know my mother only meant well but she used to make me really ill checking on me every half an hour when i was very bad as the noise of someone in the room and having to move my head intensified the pain. and she always tried to make me eat before letting me go to bed which made me so sick

allow your dd to let you know what she needs to feel better, if it is a migraine then chances are that will be for you to leave her alone in a nice dark room and try and ensure there is very little noise in the house for a while.

i hope it's not migraines for her sake though, good luck

my ds has been suffering with migraines since he was six.was on medication,stress brings them on ,he does not takeany medication at present.he is 11 now

Yes. It sounds like classic migraine and it can start as early as children can describe the symptoms. My mother and sister had it from at least the age of 3. I started at the age of 10, and dd has had them since the age of about 7.

Try and identify the triggers, and get a referral to a paediatrician who specialises in headaches.

Migraine is a horrible, debilitating condition. The earlier you get proper help the better.

Your poor dd - I do feel for her. Hope she feels better soon, and you manage to get it under control.

i am glad to have found this thread thru the search thing. My dd6 had one tonight and was beside herself with pain.