Early morning headache in 8 yr old DS - advice today please?

[Solo2]

Please can anyone advise me what to do today? Last summer and also earlier in the yr, DS2 aged 8 had recurrent early morning headaches - with no other symptoms. He would want to lie down/ sleep (this is after a full night's sleep), would have watery eyes and then be absolutely and completely fine about 2 to 3 hrs later.

He was referred to a paediatrician who queried the possibiltiy of a brain tumour but as he'd had no headaches for 2 wks by the time we saw her, I was told just to keep an eye on him. No one suggested migraine or anything other than possible brain tumour.

Over half-term, DS2 has had watery, puffed eyes and been tired after sleeping through the night. But today, he's got what he calls 'pressure behind my eyes' and has returned to bed and is currently asleep.

This has coincided with a much desired and long awaited playdate and I've had to cancel his friend coming this pm, much to his upset. Like before, there's no connection with something aversive and his headaches and he's not particularly bothered about school starting tomorrow (if indeed he can go).

Should I call the out of hrs doctors - although I've found them pretty hopeless in the past - or take him to A & E, as the paediatrician report had suggested last summer, should his headaches recur?

I've got his twin to look after too (I'm a single mum with no relatives etc to help out here) and so a 5 hr wait in A & E won't be fun and also DS2 is still asleep right now?

Should I just wait and see how he is? Should I be cancelling work committments tomorrow (also difficult, as I run my own profesisonal business and have several appointments lined up tomorrow and have just taken this last week off)?

I'm really worried and have no idea what to do for the best?

Yes, I hate giving him Calpol as we're the sort of family who would only take anything at all - and this for all of us would be Calpol - if absolutely necessary. None of us has ever taken anything else. Last summer, the GP then told me to dive DS2 Calpol the moment he woke up when he had headaches then.

I applied the same rule this time and the only day I didn't give him any - Saturday, after 2 days back at school and no headaches but with Calpol every morning - he got another headache and had one today too.

However, that's not really proof he needs it as the headaches may be coming and going irrespective of Calpol.

Don't know what to do tomorrow....He wants to go back to school again but what I expect is he'll be fine on waking, get a headache around 7.45am just as we leave for school and be totally fine again by 10.30am.

Across the day, his headache goes, as today and he seems better and then gradually, over time, his eyes start looking more and more swollen and puffy with darker rings under them and he rubes them more and more (this is already happening now today) and looks unwell.

This could be him getting v tired as the day goes on because I don't think he sleeps much. Anyway, I'm at my wit's end and he's totally fed up with the headaches and also with not being able to eat hardly anything at all, as there's so little he likes and can eat. Poor little thing.

Is it too early for hayfever? I know that probably sounds a bit off the wall but my BIL gets really bad hayfever and he gets the puffy eyes and thumping headache. Obviously wouldn't be bad over the winter but now that it is coming into spring again?...just a thought!

I know this is a super old thread but we are going through exactly the same thing with my 4 year old! I don't know if you are still around here but if you are did you ever find out what was causing it?