Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Today, as dd was practicing piano, she stopped and told me she was seeing white spots, and her head hurt. I've never had a migraine, but I recognized the description, and immediately gave her a Motrin, and had her lie down. After about a half hour, her headache was getting much worse, and she was having tingling sensations in her hands and face. She was lying on the couch, whimpering. I have her another Motrin (she weighs 105 lbs, so I believe this was a safe dosage under the circumstances) and I gave her an ice gel pack for the back of her neck. After another half hour, her head stopped hurting, but she felt nauseated. We went to the bathroom; after another 15 minutes or so, she vomited. After that, she felt better. No headache. No nausea. No tingling sensations. We watched a documentary for a couple hours, then she resumed her schoolwork. She's been fine ever since. I'm thinking this was a rather minor episode. I'm wondering if we should expect these to be a regular occurrence or if it might have been a one time thing. If they generally recur, do they get worse over time? She did start menses about a year ago (age 9 1/2). I read that migraines may be related to a girl/women's cycle. I also read about possible food triggers, but all she'd eaten today was a couple bowls of cereal with milk. I'd appreciate any experience or expertise you all could share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 DD was 9 when she got her first one. We ended up at the hospital because I over-react. She had no peripheral vision and everything was dark and blurry. Her head hurt so bad that she cried like I'd never seen her cry (she broke her arm earlier that year and made less of a fuss). Turns out she just has really bad migraines, which, thankfully, the first was the worst. Over the next 2 years she got them every few days to weeks and we tried to get "in front" of them quickly. Dark room, motrin, ice pack, etc... Around about the time she had her first period (at 11) they actually slacked off. She now only gets them about once a month. When she was younger We'd never know what brought them on or when she'd have them. It has been nice that for the last year she only gets them with PMS so they are much more predictable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Yes, it does sound like a migraine. I find they are not always directly after anything in particular. My dc's orthodontist gave them 600 mg of ibuprofen so I would think she could start with two, 200 mg. Excedrin works well too. It's aspirin, tylenol and caffeine. Some kids get put on a prescription if they have migraines regularly. On the happy note since she's one who vomits and the pain goes away she saves herself hours of misery. :D Caffeine can help as well, coffee, tea, or coke. On the other side some people recommend using as few meds as possible so you don't get rebound headaches. That means the migraine goes away but comes back later, like the next day. Keep track of her cycle, general activity and headaches. I'm hoping it's a one time thing, they are so miserable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Sounds like a migraine to me, but if they don't run in your family you may wish to get a formal diagnosis if one happens again. New neurological symptoms should *always* be taken seriously. I also read about possible food triggers, but all she'd eaten today was a couple bowls of cereal with milk. Not all migraine sufferers have an obvious trigger, and those triggers are not always food. They might be asthma attacks, hormones, stress, weather patterns, lack of sleep.... However, what jumped out at me here is that your daughter had a migraine after having not much food, and that food was high in carbs and (probably) low in protein, fiber, and fat. Hunger is the migraine trigger of choice in my family (well, along with chocolate and caffeine withdrawal), and I'm constantly nagging the older kiddo (the one most prone to migraines) to eat something when she's feeling peckish, because if she doesn't eat - boom, two day migraine. (And on that note, any migraine lasting three days or more warrants a trip to the doctor, as long migraines are associated with a higher risk of stroke.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) Excedrin works well too. It's aspirin, tylenol and caffeine. Note: People under 18 should not be given aspirin when they have a fever or flu-like symptoms, are recovering from chickenpox or the flu, or have just been vaccinated against same. Acetaminophen (paracetemol), brand name tylenol should be used carefully as well, especially with children under the age of 12, due to the potential for serious liver damage. I'm sure everybody knows this, but just in case somebody on this thread is one of today's lucky ten thousand... well, now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Edited February 13, 2016 by Tanaqui 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 My Dd had her first migraine at 10. She saw sparkles in her eyes, then had a bad headache, threw up, and was very tired after. It's been almost a year and she hasn't had another like it since. Her eyes, however, became more sensitive to certain types of light, which can trigger headaches for her now - a sort of mild migraine, I guess. They became much less frequent when I followed her pediatrician's advice and had her start taking magnesium supplements. I had a few migraines as a teenager and then didn't have another for almost 20 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Sounds like a migraine to me, but if they don't run in your family you may wish to get a formal diagnosis if one happens again. New neurological symptoms should *always* be taken seriously. Not all migraine sufferers have an obvious trigger, and those triggers are not always food. They might be asthma attacks, hormones, stress, weather patterns, lack of sleep.... However, what jumped out at me here is that your daughter had a migraine after having not much food, and that food was high in carbs and (probably) low in protein, fiber, and fat. Hunger is the migraine trigger of choice in my family (well, along with chocolate and caffeine withdrawal), and I'm constantly nagging the older kiddo (the one most prone to migraines) to eat something when she's feeling peckish, because if she doesn't eat - boom, two day migraine. (And on that note, any migraine lasting three days or more warrants a trip to the doctor, as long migraines are associated with a higher risk of stroke.) You could be on to something with the bolded. She never eats cereal for breakfast. She much prefers a pot pie. We were all out of her usual dinner-for-breakfast meals, so she chose cereal. And, the cereal was Honey Bunches of Oats. I can't eat that stuff at all because it gives me the jitters. I will definitely make sure she doesn't eat that again (definitely not a big loss). I'll keep your other warnings in mind as well, if these continue, especially if they worsen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Mine started with my cycles as a teenager. I had them pretty often as a teen, but they tapered off as an adult. DD had her first one at 7, and has had about 1-2 a year since then. They do run in families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Our youngest (17) has an occasional migrane - we haven't found the trigger yet since they happen so infrequently. But, I have heard from several people that once the first sign of a migrane appears, have her slam a can of coca-cola & lay down in a dark and quiet room, undisturbed. That will be our plan of attack if/when she gets another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 ime - motrin doens't do squat for migraines. (the ONLY otc that helped me - was excedrin) mine became very frequent when I was a teen. I eventually learned my triggers. they also got better as i got older. everyone is different in how migraine presents. I only had visual stuff when I was pregnant. (technically - "ocular migraine". I had them very frequently during my first pregnancy - but they only lasted about 45 minutes. I could lay down and rest, and they'd be gone when I got up.) my normal migraines would last hours, if not days. if I took excedrin as soon as I was aware one was starting - it *might* derail it. I'd becasue extremely sensitive to sound, and complain people were breathing too loud. (ice packs to the back of the neck and forehead were usually soothing.) sometimes, I needed to go into a pitch dark and silent room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 triggers: make sure she drinks enough water. proper hydration can be a big help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 My Dd had her first migraine at 10. She saw sparkles in her eyes, then had a bad headache, threw up, and was very tired after. It's been almost a year and she hasn't had another like it since. Her eyes, however, became more sensitive to certain types of light, which can trigger headaches for her now - a sort of mild migraine, I guess. They became much less frequent when I followed her pediatrician's advice and had her start taking magnesium supplements. I had a few migraines as a teenager and then didn't have another for almost 20 years. I became sensitive to light - and it was a trigger. uva/uvb polarized sunglasses . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Oh, yeah DD's doctor also said no problems for her to take 2 ibuprofen. Dosage, he said, is based on weight and over 100 pounds (which my daughter is) would be considered adult weight, so adult dosage is fine. Taking 2 versus just the 1 has helped DD get over it much quicker. She does suffer additional headaches sometimes but that doesn't change whether she takes the pills or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Aleve works for me sometimes for migraines. Ice packs, caffeine + sugar (I keep Mexican cokes on hand for this, case at Costco is cheapest), dark room. Magnesium, particularly around PMS time can be helpful for reducing migraines and cramps. It's a fairly innocuous supplement too (not taking boiled eye of newt ;) ). The arm tingling would concern me because I've never had that type of symptom. I don't know if it's a typical migraine thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 One of my DDs gets migraines. A few things that haven't been mentioned yet: For a migraine related to low blood sugar or dehydration, my DD craves Gatorade. Peppermint oil helps with a milder headache. Put some cool water in the bathroom sink, add a drop or two of oil, swish, and wet a washcloth with it. Use on forehead or back of neck, wherever it feels good. The book "Mommy My Head Hurts" covers medical options for kids with migraines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Mama Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I started getting migraines when I was eight years old. Your daughter's episode is 100% accurate for a classic migraine. Over the years, my headaches were triggered by nitrates, red dyes, caffeine (no chocolate since I was 15), dairy, nuts, sudden shifts in barometric pressure, lack of sleep, stress, periods... Trying to take anything for the pain was pointless, because I always ended up throwing up. After that, I would feel much better, though. Shortly thereafter I would become ravenously hungry and eat everything not nailed down. The only thing that helped me was lying in a dark, quiet room with a damp cloth over my eyes. I hope your dd is feeling better and that you are able to track down what her triggers are. Migraines suck when they happen to anyone, but for a child to experience it, is beyond horrid. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I started getting migraines when I was eight years old. Your daughter's episode is 100% accurate for a classic migraine. Over the years, my headaches were triggered by nitrates, red dyes, caffeine (no chocolate since I was 15), dairy, nuts, sudden shifts in barometric pressure, lack of sleep, stress, periods... Trying to take anything for the pain was pointless, because I always ended up throwing up. After that, I would feel much better, though. Shortly thereafter I would become ravenously hungry and eat everything not nailed down. The only thing that helped me was lying in a dark, quiet room with a damp cloth over my eyes. I hope your dd is feeling better and that you are able to track down what her triggers are. Migraines suck when they happen to anyone, but for a child to experience it, is beyond horrid. :grouphug: The bolded strikes a chord. After she threw up, I gave her a package of saltines to "nibble on" while I read to her. The next time I looked down, she had devoured almost the entire package! After that, she was her regular happy, energetic self. All those possible triggers make me not even want to try to figure it out. Hoping a pattern will emerge, or even better, that she never gets another one. Thanks for chiming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 (edited) nm Edited July 22, 2016 by Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 All those possible triggers make me not even want to try to figure it out. Hoping a pattern will emerge, or even better, that she never gets another one. If she gets another one, try keeping a diary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 I have several migraine triggers, and i usually need more than one trigger present to have a migraine, but weather sometimes totally trumps and causes one by itself. Going gluten free helped me have migraines less frequently, but that is not a universal experience by any means. I still have the ones that are classic in my family--aura followed by sharp pain, nausea, etc. in spite of going gluten free. That kind of migraine has never been consistent enough for me to know what triggers it. They are the first kind I experienced, but they are the ones I have the least frequently at this point. I usually function just fine if I take ibuprofen before the aura goes away. I agree about hydration and such. My son is a third-generation migraine sufferer, and he had his first one at four. He is much more likely to get them on hot days when he's played a lot. He also feels better if he vomits, but ibuprofen early cuts his symptoms off. I acquired several different kinds of migraines as an adult (and thankfully don't have as many right now as I used to), but I also have one kind where I experience sudden and horrendous nausea (but don't vomit). If I take ibuprofen right away, I feel much better, but if I do not, I will go on to have a horrible headache and the nausea can continue. Thought I'd mention that variation because it took me a while to figure out what this was, and the nausea coming alone was really weird. The nausea is usually so pronounced that it will wake me out of a sound sleep. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Start keeping a journal that notes things like food consumed, menstrual cycle dates, migraine symptoms, and all the other things mentioned in this thread. Hopefully, she'll never have another one but if she does maybe a pattern will emerge from the notes. It will also help for an official diagnosis if you pursue prescription meds. (Zomig saves me a few times a year.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 My dd has periodic migraines. I think they are hormonally related. If I can get her a mocha frap in time (within about an hour), she's fine. I think the combo of the coffee and cold help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 When my one son was younger and had frequent migraines, the pediatric neurologist put him on low dose Depakote as a preventative (helped some) and had him carry Zomig at all times, as it can stop a migraine if taken as soon as a person realizes "Cr@p, I am getting a migraine". It was annoying when he went to public high school to do all the paperwork to allow him to carry a Zomig on his person - had he needed to get permission to go to the nurse and wait to have her unlock the meds and give him one it would be too late for it to help. Boy Scout camp outs were hard, too, as they did not want him to carry his Zomig, and a couple times he was miserable with a migraine on a camp out when it took too long to track down whichever adult had his medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Dh and several of my kids began having migraines like your dd's around 10-12 years old. Dh and some of my older kids suffered for years before we identified the triggers. Identifying triggers literally changed their lives. MSG is the main trigger in our home. Others are peanuts, nuts, sulphites, bright lights (like while playing strenuous sports on a sunny day). Someone on this board recommended the book, Heal Your Headache. By the time we read it, we had pretty much figured things out, but it's a good place to start if you're new to this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 14, 2016 Author Share Posted February 14, 2016 Thank you all, for your thoughts and suggestions. I'm glad I knew enough to recognize the symptoms and give her ibuprofen right away, rather than taking a "wait and see" approach, which I might have done otherwise. I'm quite certain I learned what I knew from this board. The whole episode lasted about 2 hours, but it could have been much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dulce Domem Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 When keeping track of food triggers, think about the day before as well. For a long time, almost exactly 12 hours of having MSG I would get a migraine. It was usually something at supper, then I'd get one the next morning. Took us forever to figure that out! You've gotten good answers here. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 When keeping track of food triggers, think about the day before as well. For a long time, almost exactly 12 hours of having MSG I would get a migraine. It was usually something at supper, then I'd get one the next morning. Took us forever to figure that out! You've gotten good answers here. Yes, this was our problem exactly. The delay threw us off the trail for a long time. Definitely pay attention to what was eaten in the last 24 hours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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