Pip Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I suffer from severe migraines so I am pretty tuned into headaches. My 9 yo dd started getting headaches when she would swim. This mainly occured when the heater was out in the pool and the water was extremely cold. She has recently recovered from the flu and for 2 days in a row she has gotten sudden severe headaches. My initial reaction was not to suspect migraines just because of her age. But they are on one side of her head, over the eye, and she said today that it feels like her heart is pounding in her head. She said standing or moving causes a delayed pain (like her brain is catching up with the rest of her head) which sends her over the edge. We gave her some Advil and some Coke. She really started to feel better after getting some caffeine in her. She then fell into a deep sleep All of this mimics my migraines. They can be brought on by temperature changes (like in the pool), are relieved by some caffeine (usually tea for me), I have the feeling like my brain is slamming into my head when I move, and they are on one side of the head. So, it is off to the dr. to for confirmation. It just all fits. I just feel so bad for her. I kept hoping none of the girls would have inherited this. My headaches are debilitating at times and I have had episodes of headaches last over a month, although not with a continuous headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Oh no, I'm so sorry! I get migraines too, and I did start when I was around 9 or 10....so she may have them. I hope it's just the aftereffects of the flu, but it sure sounds like migraines to me. Poor kid! I hope that they turn out to be easily managed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Poor girl. Hopefully she will outgrow them. My dd started having them around 11 and stopped after she started her period a couple of years later. She did get to be really good at recognizing them coming and was able to sleep some off before they took hold, even though she felt sluggish for a day after. I was just glad she got to sleep before the throwing up came on! :grouphug: for your baby girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg_puppy Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 My husband and his family all get migraines. My FIL told me that he has memories of getting his first migraine at 5 years old. He had a really hard time explaining to his parents how he felt. He has told me to keep a close eye on my kids. So far they haven't had any, but I know that they might. My MIL didn't start getting them until she was an adult. I hope that you find something that works to help manage her migraines. Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 My migraines started around that age. The first one I remember happened when my parents were out of town and we were staying with friends. The mom of the family noticed I was quiet and said I must be homesick. For YEARS, I thought my migraines were homesickness and never told my mom about them. Since my headaches usually happened away from home, and b/c I experience more "aura" and only moderate pain, I never thought it could be something else. :) My migraines went away in my late teens, but revisited when I was pregnant. Now they're back for peri-menopause.:tongue_smilie: When I was young and growing, a big trigger for me would be hunger. Watch for that as she hits her growth spurt. I hope she gets some relief. Blessings, Leanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 My 8-year-old son has been getting migraines since he was 4. A couple of years ago we did find a medication that has helped greatly and he rarely gets them now. But a migraine in a child is terrible to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pip Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 What was the medication? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Oh no! My 4 yr old was diagnosed with migraines this week and we are starting an elimination diet, because the doc suspects it is food related. *sigh* Hopefully your dd can get some relief at the doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 My sister and I both started getting our migraines when we were 8. I went to school with a girl who had started hers as a toddler. It sounds like it is a migraine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I started at either 7 or eight. My son started at about nine or ten but has them very infrequently. My older daughter started around 11. My youngest had her first recently at age 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 When I was young and growing, a big trigger for me would be hunger. Watch for that as she hits her growth spurt. Oh yes. Me too. Do you think with her increased exercise with swimming that she is getting enough calories? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjo Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 By the time she was 11 or 12 they were interfering with life and we visited the headache center at our local children's hospital. She learned daily preventive measures... regular meals, hydration, and good sleep habits. She also learned what to do when she feels one coming on... ibuprofen and Gatoraide. She went on amitriptyline for about 6 months to break the headache cycle. She is now 14 1/2 and seldom has a headache :-) Best of luck to you and your daughter. Tracie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I just found a great book on migranes. It includes what triggers to look for, what otc medicines to take and which ones ot avoid and how to know and what to do if you need prescription strength medication. It is called: Heal Your Headache by David Buchholz, MD. He is from John Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine. I realized that my son's 2 or 3 days a week headache were probably caused by a rebound headache from Excedrin Migrane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyJudyJudy Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I'm so sorry that your daughter is going through this. With my son, who is now 10, we found that food allergies/sensitivities were triggering his migraines. I then researched and found that he wasn't alone and that there have been studies about the food/migraine connection. Try keeping a food diary (including all ingredients and all drinks and their ingredients) and see if you can see a connection; even make notes on where the food was obtained and how old it was when eaten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kiddies Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 You just perfectly explained my headaches including the brain catching up with your head analogy but i never realized they were migraines. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I had severe migraines when I was in high school and through process of elimination traced them to an aspartame allergy. I hope you find the cause and some relief for your daughter. I sympathize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 My 11yo son has had severe migraines since he was about 4. My older three boys had them as well, just not as severe or often. The Pediatric Neurologist we have seen has been extremely helpful. The medication he takes when he feels a migraine coming on is called Avert. The Neurologist tells me that boys usually outgrow migraines with puberty (my older boys did), but that girls usually have onset of migraines at puberty. He also gave us a list of food triggers, and told us to avoid artificial sweeteners and caffeine. Caffeine can cause rebound migraines. Hope you get some answers. Migraines in a child are painful to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Ohno! I went to the ER a couple of years ago for a headache secondary to BP that would not come down, even after taking two different meds. They gave me IV Toradol, which is just like super strong Advil. (not a narcotic, not something a drug-seeker would ask for) I swear, it worked within SECONDS!!! I was in the middle of the sentence, "it really, really hurts" and it stopped hurting. It was THAT fast! Amazing stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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