Daughter has had headache for a week painkillers NOT working

[RoseyBumble]

My daughter has had a constant ( and I mean constant) headache for over a week now. She says It’s a dull headache but sometimes it fluctuates throughout the day. She complains about it more in the night and in the morning. She seems to be normally playing throughout the day but when I ask her how is her head she says it’s hurting. The worst part is I have given her painkillers 4 times so far but it is not affecting her one bit.

We went to pediatrician he said for her to get her eyes checked first for any swelling in the back of her eyes. We went to the optometrist and she says there is no swelling. But her eyesight is bad and she has now gotten a lenses prescription.

The problem is I am worried sick. My husband is saying for us to wait until glasses come in ( he believes that her vision is the cause for it) which will take 2 weeks to come plus one more week for her eyes to get adjusted. He doesn’t read anything off the internet and I do. He is saying he doesn’t want her to get mri and ct scans unnecessarily ( he believes it’s bad for her) I’m so worried.

Why aren’t the painkillers working? Has this happened to anyone’s child here? Please someone advice!

My dd had headaches for years. Her eyesight was fine. It was always the first thing that was asked about. She was under the care of the neurology department at the children’s hospital and never had an MRI scan.

@Blimecory

My dd had headaches for years. Her eyesight was fine. It was always the first thing that was asked about. She was under the care of the neurology department at the children’s hospital and never had an MRI scan.

My DD had her first scan at 5 years for headaches......did you not push for one if her headaches were of an unknown origin?

No, I didn’t push for a scan. Why would I? She was under the care of the neurology department of a major children’s hospital and they never mentioned a scan. They’re the experts.

@Somuchgoo

It's really unhelpful for posters (who obviously haven't read the OP properly) to talk about MRI's and brain tumours when it's highly, highly likely that the glasses are going to solve the problem.

Except the NICE guidelines say she should be scanned.

Except the very unlikely can happen sometimes. I read the OP (and yes it's probably eyes). I am still saying a precautionary scan is a good idea because without a precautionary scan (it was also highly highly unlikely to be anything...) my toddler might be dead now, or more likely she'd have lived but in a wheelchair for life.

So yes, it sounds quite OTT for a scan for a headache, but one that is worse in the morning is a red flag and requires a neurological examination according to the guidelines.

Feel free to write to NICE and tell them their referral guidelines are scaremongering of course.

Nice guidelines are for England.

The op is in Canada.

They may well have different guidelines and referral processes.

We all know how difficult it is for us to get the nice guidelines followed - I doubt someone from another country will get their healthcare system to follow it!

Their pathway has said wait until she's worn the glasses for 1 week.

KitKat I will let the rest of the contributors decide who is the ignorant one on this thread.

As an eye specialist working predominantly with children I am giving my opinion. The optometrist has already ruled out raised intracranial pressure by noting that there is no disc swelling.

If the headaches do not subside then absolutely further avenues should be explored but scanning everyone is not best practice due to the tendancy to pick up benign idiosyncrasies and Nice guidelines are precisely that - only guidelines and for good reason based on your responses here.

Oh try not to worry, OP. I'm like you and I Google everything, so I know how it is. But also Google will just tell you the least likely and worst outcome. I've suffered migraines since I was a child and paracetamol does nothing for me at all, and often Ibuprofen doesn't either. Most likely, it's just the vision problem. My sister has terrible, persistent headaches before getting glasses.

@Somuchgoo

It's really unhelpful for posters (who obviously haven't read the OP properly) to talk about MRI's and brain tumours when it's highly, highly likely that the glasses are going to solve the problem.

Except the NICE guidelines say she should be scanned.

Except the very unlikely can happen sometimes. I read the OP (and yes it's probably eyes). I am still saying a precautionary scan is a good idea because without a precautionary scan (it was also highly highly unlikely to be anything...) my toddler might be dead now, or more likely she'd have lived but in a wheelchair for life.

So yes, it sounds quite OTT for a scan for a headache, but one that is worse in the morning is a red flag and requires a neurological examination according to the guidelines.

Feel free to write to NICE and tell them their referral guidelines are scaremongering of course.

Well, if you'd read the thread properly instead of jumping down my throat, you'd know that OP isn't in England and therefore the NICE guidelines don't apply to her

And even if she was in England - guidelines are just that - guidelines. OP's daughter is under the care of an optometrist who would refer her for further tests if there was a cause for concern.

@coeliacsucks Do you any idea how long the headaches would take to get better after she gets her glasses?

So she has gotten her glasses. It's been 4 days now and her headaches are the same. In fact she is more irritated by them. I dunno how long I should wait for the glasses to work.

It depends on her prescription but as it stands her muscles are trying to correct her vision still even though she's got the glasses. I'd give it 2 weeks minimum of constant wear for things to settle down. It no good having them on and off. The more they are worn the quicker the adaptation. As I said it depends on how high the prescription is, can you tell me?

@MissMaple82

Has she tried co-codemol?

Please don't try this.

When I had Covid I had a headache for 3 weeks! Have you tested her?

@coeliacsucks is it normal for her to have headaches even when waking up?

This is her prescription

Meh it's not that high I wouldn't recommend polycarb lenses though, hope you didn't get them!
It could be, you seem very anxious with all the kindness in the world she's probably taking her lead from you.

That said follow your gut

@coeliacsucks I did get the polycarbonate her docs recommended it.

I wish I could point it out too anxiety. But I know when she is anxious. She barely mentions her headache. It was only in the night she would mention it. Another thing, she is playing and doing everything normal. I don't understand. She has been only recently complaining more after she started wearing glasses.

Anyways, thank you for your help. I'm waiting until this Friday if it does not subside. I am gonna take her in to the docs and see from there.

@fairylightsandwaxmelts

If she needs glasses then that 100% explains it and painkillers won't solve the problem - you need to wait for her glasses to arrive and for her to get used to them.

Absolutely. When I need a higher strength prescription I feel really ill. Headachey and sick.

So she has gotten her glasses. It's been 4 days now and her headaches are the same. In fact she is more irritated by them. I dunno how long I should wait for the glasses to work

A good couple of weeks imo.