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Original poster

If your child was diagnosed with migraines did doctor do any sort of scans to rule out other causes?

31 replies

Wutipg · 08/04/2022 21:07

Just looking for advise. We have had hospital appointment with paediatric doctor who was pretty dismissive of our concerns. My child has had symptoms which do fit with the aura part of migraines. But the symptoms are quite scary for him - zigzag lines, numbness and tingling on one side of the body etc. he has had a neurological exam testing various reactions (touching doctors finger then touching his own nose etc)
he doesn’t get migraines aura that often. But he is prone to headaches most days. They seem most like tension headaches. Anyway I felt as a mum I had done my best and left the question to a doctor. But now I am wondering if they should have done more. Are doctor more reluctant to make referrals just now due to longer wait lists? Maybe we should consider a private mri if it is worthwhile. I was just wondering what others experience was with diagnosis. I plan to make a food diary for the next few weeks to see if we can work out if there is a trigger.

OP posts:
Ultimatebetrayal · 08/04/2022 21:13

No they didn't but he had pretty classic symptoms tbh.
Bad head. Aversion to anything bright. Sickness. Sleepy.
Diagnosed on symptoms alone

Original poster
Wutipg · 09/04/2022 13:00

Thank you.

OP posts:
Cupcakegirl13 · 09/04/2022 13:01

I was diagnosed at 14 with all the sunrooms you
Mentioned plus a few more and have never had a scan.

Onceuponatimethen · 09/04/2022 13:03

Yes MRI but we went private and ds was young - around 7

Hoardasurass · 09/04/2022 13:04

Neither my daughter or I had any kind of scan when we were diagnosed with migraines

Original poster
Wutipg · 09/04/2022 13:06

Thank you. Appreciate a good sense check. I read an old thread in here where someone recommended pushing for mri and it made me wonder. Have any of you found food triggers?

OP posts:
Embracelife · 09/04/2022 13:08

Yes after referral to headache clinic.

r0ck · 09/04/2022 18:17

Thank you for this thread, following with interest as my son (5) has had them since he was 3/4 and although they're all the classic symptoms (aversion to light, sudden head pain, vomiting and then better after sleep) and he's seen a paediatrician I still worry about whether they should be investigating given his age.

Michaelmonstera · 09/04/2022 18:24

DD had a kidney scan when she was about 5 - we now think she had migraines of the stomach. Then she had a brain scan at GOSH when she was about 8 as they thought she might have a brain tumour. Eventually, she was treated for migraines at GOSH’s headache clinic. This was about 15-20 years ago.

InvincibleInvisibility · 09/04/2022 18:32

No, neither DS has had a scan. Both have/had abdominal migraines and head migraines. DS1 responded well to treatment and after 3 years came off the meds (but in the meantime is treated for ADHD)

DS2 didn't respond well to first meds. Second one seems to be working (fingers crossed)

I was diagnosed 23 years before finally having an mri (cos they'd gotten way worse). Nothing found, still "just" migraines

Hoardasurass · 09/04/2022 20:47

@Wutipg the most common food triggers are cheese, chocolate, red wine, red grapes/juice and coffee (thankfully red wine and coffee are mine) certain smells can trigger them too.
If you are trying to work out your DS's triggers keeping a food diary whilst trying to avoid strong smells and stress (both well know triggers). Depending on how often he has the migraines it could take quite a while to see a pattern because it can be 1 or more foods or a combination of 2+, my mum can not eat chocolate and cheese on the same day otherwise it triggers a migraine yet individually they are fine

Onceuponatimethen · 09/04/2022 20:48

We know chocolate is a trigger for poor ds but a moderate amount is ok

Onceuponatimethen · 09/04/2022 20:49

@Hoardasurass this is similar for me - I have more or less given up caffeine as this in combination with other goods triggers my migraines

CornedBeef451 · 09/04/2022 21:35

DD was given an MRI to rule out anything else, even with a very strong family history of migraine.

They discover a very slight chiari malformation (?) but ruled it out as an issue.

She was then prescribed triptans and an anti sickness drug.

TheCanyon · 09/04/2022 21:49

I was referred for a ct scan as a young teen for migraines, I had been prescribed migralieve before that which didn't help so straight to ct. Not sure why? This was 9/11 week so a long time ago to remember.

Echobelly · 09/04/2022 21:54

I had them age 12-15 - I don't think it ever occured to anyone to get a diagnosis; my mum had always had them so it didn't seem surprising I had them.

Mine seemed to tail off after 15 - oddly it may have been because I had a removable brace for a few years to correct a cross-bite and receding jaw, and I heard later that some medics believe pressure created by a cross-bite can contribute to migraines. I don't know if the link has been proven but it's interesting that it stopped after I'd had the brace for a bit.

friyayfeeling · 09/04/2022 21:58

Ds12 is waiting for an mri now due to 2 episodes of numbness/tingling down one side of body and headache. Referred to paediatric neurologist who are sure its migraine but have requested mri to rule out anything else. Migraine runs in the family, I take preventatives morning and night for mine.

Lavenderlid · 09/04/2022 22:03

When ds had really bad headaches his Gp referred him to hospital and he was seen really quickly, as in, can you come in later today type thing. They made an appointment for the following week for an MRI, which was clear. He was prescribed pizotifen

Wavingnotdrown1ng · 09/04/2022 22:06

Food triggers for me: alcohol and caffeine. I’m also strongly affected by the cold, wear sunglasses all year and hate low pressure weather. My mother’s food triggers were cheese and milk.

Original poster
Wutipg · 09/04/2022 22:10

Thank you these are very helpful replies. It seems a bit hit or miss whether you are offered a scan.

OP posts:
TheSummerPalace · 09/04/2022 22:11

DD gets numbness or paralysis down one side of the body, and she faints. She was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines, after it had happened several times and she had been told to go to A & E for tests. She was offered an emergency CT scan, as they thought they were TIAs. She chose instead a private MRI, which was normal. The diagnosis was made on the description of what happened, although all tests were normal.

singlemummy69 · 09/04/2022 22:16

no my baby had migraines when it was 1 years old i noticed he was crying alot and clutching his head so i took him to the doctors fearing the worst and two doctors told me two different things. the first told me that he just had a headache and that apparenly it was common in young children to experience migraines. whereas the second told me that he would need glasses. i was so confused but thats all in the past

wfrances · 09/04/2022 22:18

Ds was 8
He had a ct scan and a lumbar puncture
While he had been admitted to childrens ward with loss of vision in one eye , and couldn't move his left arm
3 days in hospital and diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines

His nighttime vomiting was also a symptom but we didn't know that at the time
Saw a neurologist while there and he was put under his care
He was put on topiramate .

FoldedCard · 09/04/2022 22:38

Yes - an MRI at 14 to rule out anything else.

Gloucestershire - and pre-Covid - if that's any help to know.

NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 09/04/2022 23:40

A CT when he was 6 because he had weakness on one side, witnessed at school so suspected brain tumour, thankfully not. Then he was referred to a paediatric neurologist when he was 8 and she ordered a MRI.