Anyone have dc who suffer from migraine?

[Weegiemum]

I've had migraines since I was in my teens, my Dad also gets them.

Now I think ds is getting them as well. Today he is photophobic, turning away from the light, sore head, sore neck and sore tummy/feeling sick. He's really pale, but has no temperature and dh, who is a GP, has checked him over and says its not meningitis!

Over the last 6 months he has had quite a few of these episodes, maybe 1-2 a month.

We have made an appointment with our own GP for later in the week, and dh says we will probably get a referral to se the paediatricians over this.

Just wondered (as dh doesn't know) what would happen - scans? And is there anything they can do for kids with migraine? I take imigran but of course thats not suitable for kids.

Not urgent - just wondering. Off to check on him now.

He's 7 and a half, btw.

Weegie,

I am 34 now and have suffered from migraines since i was 3 years old. I have had every pill possible.

As I got older I worked out what helped get rid of my migraines, My parents worked out what foods triggered them etc.

If you make sure you have a strip of foil in the freezer, when he complains of a headache/sore neck lay him down and place the foil on the back of his neck..this helps release the pressure of the contracting blood vessels which cause the migrain in the first place.

Go through his diet and cross off the things that can cause it...

LadyEvenstar, may I ask you about that foil idea?

I don't understand why a cold thing would relieve the pressure from contracting blood vessels? I would have expected that cold would cause contraction, warmth would cause dilation?

btw I first started to get migraines aged 6-7. I don't remember being given any treatment at all, perhaps in those ancient far-off days it just wasn't taken very seriously.

poor little mite!

DS1 gets them..but he's 14. He actually hasn't been that bad with them.. we popped to the gp.. who confirmed migraine but has referred us, basically just to make sure.. we are still waiting for that appointment.

I get them so does my mum and so did my gran.. they are awful..

cooling neck works well, as does complete dark and paracetamol.. in liquid form taken right at the begining.
flicking lights.. bright sunlight particularly the way it can flick through car windscreens, and certain foods ( apples, cheese, marmite are my triggers) can set them off. might be an idea to get some good sunglasses for him to wear on brighter days while you wait for your gp/referal.

My DS has just been prescribed Buccastem 3mg tablets for his migraines as calpol + ibruprofen don't touch them.

Buccastem is actually an anti-nausea drug but helps with the headache. You put it between gum and lip and let it dissolve into the blood stream. He is 11 though, so not sure if the GP would prescribe something like this for a 7 year old. You could ask.

My DS's headaches are mainly excerise triggered (he plays a particular individual sport to a high level) but when I went to the GP to get him checked out she took his blood and found out he has a slightly reduced white blood cell count. So they may well give your DS a blood test.

I also have migraines, so they do run in families.

Poor him. They are vile.

He's fast asleep now, wee thing. He's SO pale!

Thanks for the advice - will put some foil in the freezer for later!

The foil helps cool the body down being placed on the neck means it targets that area. Therefore the neck is cooling down and the vessels are not so tight iyswim?

For a NON medication treatment something else i found helps wonderfully especially if i have not had enough to eat or drink are the dextrose/lucozade energy sweets.

I used to take maxalon tablets for the vomitting. now i just take water...I am sure after 31 yrs of medication if you turn me upside down and shake me i will rattle.

So good to see a thread about this. Have just taken DD1 into school late after she was up for a few hours last night with a migraine. She always has the same symptoms which she describes as 'eye strain', then goes really pale and spends about 20 minutes telling me she wishes she was never born , then she's usually sick followed by an hour or two sleeping then wakes absolutely fine. Was going to keep her at home today but she seems fine. She's 8 and has a very unsympathetic teacher who, when DD feels the symptoms coming on, just tells her is 'only' a headache and to just get on with things (until she throws up)
Feel a bit guilty sending her to school, but chances are she would just spend the rest of the day driving me nuts. Spoke to teacher and insisted she phone me if she starts to get symptoms, sure she thinks I'm being a mollycoddling Mummy.

thanks for explanation

the "eye strain" sounds like what i used to and still call a fuzzy eye. It starts off with a little dot in the corner of my eye and ends up with a load of fuzziness across the whole eye. thats when i know i have a migraine coming, usually within 5-10 minutes. these can last anything from 10 minutes to 5 days. sickness, dihorrea (sp) headache, earache, body ache, restless, irritable, snappy and in need of lots of loving as i end up feeling very sorry for myself lol.

I have had various medications over the years phenobarbatain (sp) when i was 3-9 then migravess, migraleve, herbal rememdies, propanolol and maxalon for sickness, and then when i was 14 i decided no more and have not had anything since. in fact i rarely tke any pain killers or any medication for anything now as i hate it.

I would advise anyone to start with their childs diet, (my mum spent ages checking food labels to make sure there was no soya in things as this was a trigger for me along with various other things) before looking at medication as the body does become immune to it over a period of time and then the drug dosage is upped or they are given a stronger medication. Its not easy for dc to swallow and it is not always the best option. An alternative would be a herbal rememedy.

And before anyone thinks I am talking out of my backside, I am talking from experience where one lot of medication caused me to hillucinate (sp)

agree with theladyevenstar.

my sister suffered from terrible migraines as a child and they were triggered by cheese and chocolate, she eventually outdgrew it and can now eat both items with no problems.

my migraines are triggerd by exhaustion.

Bamboo, i still suffer but as i know the triggers and warning signs i can usually catch it in time...god help everyone if i don't lol i am a snappy mare then.

Am watching this thread with interest.

I have migraines.
My mum had migraines (until she reached her 70's?).
Her mum had migraines (though she called them "bilious attacks" back in the 1940's).

Now dd is starting to get headachy. She's nearly 14 and her hormones are starting to kick in. My migraines are hormone related, so I am not surprised about dd.

I will make a note of all your drugs/alternatives so I can be better informed for her.

GandB, mine are also triggered by hormones, I can never forget my monthly dread of a migraine followed by period pains grrrrrrrrr

lol, i wish i had more warning signs, the first i know of it is the little flicker on the edge of my vision, if i'm not in bed and doped up with painkillers within 10 mins it's awful.

Bamboo,same sign as me....now though i just refuse to take painkillers

I have posted this link before, but I am having really good results by using this product called Sinol

I have been using it for about 6 weeks and normally I would have used about 5 or 6 Imigran (sumatriptan)in that time, but I have managed to get by on just some paracetamol, and I have not had to use any Imigran at all.

I have a squirt 3 times a day, and so far so good. Hardly a clinical trial, but I'm happy with the results.

Unfortunately the instructions say that it's not to be used by the under 14's, but I thought it might be useful to those who have older children. It's quite fiery stuff, which would be hard for little children, but older one's would be ok.

Mine are triggered by hormones and red wine, so I think it is unlikely they are my ds's triggers.

I have been keeping a food diary for him. Doesn't seem to be a cheese thing (he eats cheese every day!) and not choccy either (cos he doesn't like it - I know, very odd child!). Will have a look at soya, though he loves Soy Sauce on "Chicken Noodles" and it hasn't featured in my lists. Migraines are not always dietary, are they?

He is awake now and has vomited, and now says he feels better and wants to play Lego! Not going to take him to school, but might let the Lego thing - better than screens, and reading (he has just started Harry Potter 1 - and wants to read it all the time!!!!)

THink I will try him with something bland to eat and a drink of water, see how he gets on.

This has all been really interesting!

Weegie, no they can be caused by many things iron defiency being one. need for glasses??

awww .. in the nicest way I'm glad he's been sick.. IME you always feel a bit better after that bit.

keep the light level a bit duller than normal for him, and don't be suprised if he suddenly gets very tired..or the headache continues for a bit.. I always feel like I've been hit by a truck for a couple of days when I have one.

He has had some toast and a glass of water (he only drinks water - he is an odd child, doesn't like chocolate or juice!) and is now building hundreds of small lego cars and feeling "Like I was very sick but now I am alright but tired" in his own words.

We are in the lounge with the curtains half drawn and I have unplugged the phone as when it rang earlier it made his head so sore he cried!

Have wondered if it is due to dehydration as it is a nightmare to get him to drink enough (he has occasional constipation because of this) and also wondered about his eyes - but he and dd1 had theirs tested last week and while dd1 (9) needed glasses and got them, he was clear, no hint of any problems, so much that the optician said I could leave it 2 years to his next eye test.

Denying requests for the playstation - am sure that will set him off again!

My nephew (now 10) suffers from migraines. He got referred to paediatrician too. It was quite a while ago and I can't remember the tests he had done. But I do know that they have prescribed medication. He has to take one of these tablets as soon as he feels a headache coming on.

Tok sounds like propranolol

Propanolol is a beta-blocker, and is taken as a preventative (every day).

I took it, and it was bloody horrible. Nausea, lethargy and the most awful nightmares. I don't take it now, it was the most horrible drug I've ever taken (and I've tried quite a few!)