Pediatric Migraines and Non-Drug Treatment for Pediatric Migraine

Diagnosis of pediatric migraine is similar to the adult diagnosis of migraine with a few notable exceptions. The International Headache Society’s criteria, states that headache is the last 4 to 72 hours. Children’s migraines are generally shorter and this fact should be taken into account when trying to diagnose them. Adult migraine are often one-sided, but the children’s often include pain on both sides of the head. These headaches should not be dismissed just because they are not one-sided.

For most children suffering from migraine (migrainous people who suffer from headache), headache, starting between 5 and 11 years. Before puberty, the number of men and women with children, migraine is about the same. After puberty, girls are much more likely than boys to have migraines, probably due to the same hormonal problems, which makes the number of adult women suffer from migraines three times more than men.

Many children suffer from migraine are fortunate that their condition disappear during puberty or after reaching adulthood. However, people who have migraines as children are more likely to become adults who suffer from migraine than those who did not have a child. Adult migraine sufferers should follow when migraine symptoms in their children, especially if the other parent also experiences migraines. Migraineur child with two parents has a 70% chance of becoming migraineur.

The last thing most parents want to do is give their child a drug. But when the child is a migraineur (a person with chronic migraine), which is a reported 10-28% of children under the age of 19, many feel they have no choice. This is simply not true. In fact, most child neurology specialists recommend alternative treatments before medication for safety reasons. A number of non-drug treatments available to treat children suffering from migraine. As with all complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) treatment, the patient’s doctor must be part of the team who make decisions and monitor treatment.

One of the most common non-medical treatment options is temperature therapy. The application of a hot or cold compress relieves pain for many. Apply hot or cold pack to the greatest pain, be sure to insulate it so no harm to the child’s skin occurs. Sleep often relieves the suffering of adult migraine patients. The duration of child’s migraine is usually shorter than for an adult. A nap taken in a dark, quiet, area can eliminate some migraines completely. Scheduling can be a factor in reducing the incidence of pediatric migraine. Unlike adults, who experience stress in an acute, episodic manner, children often experience a constant stress level, especially during the school year. Establishing a regular routine, including time to relax and an age-appropriate sleep schedule, helps many young migraine patients.

Relaxation training, including instruction in self-hypnosis and guided imagery, is the treatment of choice for recurrent pediatric migraine. Studies on the subject shows that more than half of pediatric patients who learn these relaxation techniques experience less frequent migraines, but no reduction in pain intensity when they have one. There are many options for pediatric migraine therapy, do not be afraid to ask your doctor about drug-related options.