A newborn has a headache, what should I do? Symptoms of headaches in infants. Non-traditional methods of treating headaches in children

For small children under 1 to 2 years of age, it is very difficult to understand that they have a headache or anything else. At this age, the child will not be able to tell his parents about the deterioration of his health; children can only be capricious, scream and cry, attracting attention to themselves.

Babies may ask to be held more often than usual, and infants may literally “hang” on their chest. This disturbing behavior should alert parents. Be sure to touch the child's forehead to make sure there is no need to measure the temperature with a thermometer. If parents suspect that something is hurting their child, it is better to go to the pediatrician, who will help find out the cause of the restless behavior.

In itself, from a year to 3 years, there is no danger, only if it is not accompanied by any other symptoms. High temperature, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pallor, increased heart rate - the presence of one of these symptoms in combination with a severe headache is a reason to urgently seek medical attention. medical assistance. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose the disease in a baby and decide what to do to get rid of all these symptoms. First of all, you need to contact a pediatrician, and he, in turn, can refer you to a more specialized specialist if there is such a need.

What measures can be taken?

If a child complains that he is tormented by headaches, this should not be ignored. Of course, a child can only complain when he or she is closer to 3 years old; before this age, he can only show by his appearance that something hurts him. You need to make sure that your body temperature is not elevated; you can do this by touching your forehead and measuring with a thermometer. When headaches are combined with a symptom such as high temperature, you can’t do without medications. Tablets and medications must be appropriate for the baby’s age. only in the permitted dosage.

You can try to relieve pain without medication. You need to let the child lie down and rest in a cool room or even sleep. Compresses on the head help a lot, but you need to know how to do them. It is easier to make compresses for children under one year old, since the baby can be swaddled so that he does not throw off the compress. But you can also come to an agreement with older children - they already understand what exactly their parents are telling them. You need to put it in a bowl cool water or room temperature, moisten the gauze folded several times and place it on the forehead. You can make such compresses for a long time, and there will be no damage to your health from them. Even if the temperature is elevated, they can help a lot. You can make compresses using essential oils of mint or lemon balm, but only after making sure that they will not cause allergies.

There is an opinion that only adults suffer from headaches. This opinion is erroneous; children are also susceptible to migraine attacks and headaches. Headache in children occurs when various reasons and may differ as one gets older if it is a non-congenital disorder.

A newborn baby cannot talk about what is bothering him. Because of this, the process of treatment and diagnosis becomes more complicated. Therefore, it is very important at this age to go through full examination and exclude brain diseases or pathologies during the child’s development. Treatment at any age should be prescribed by a doctor and medications chosen.

In newborns

Headache attacks in infants are a common occurrence, but are complicated by incorrect diagnosis. The child is still very small and simply cannot express his complaints and feelings. Very often the reason is the period of adaptation after birth to the surrounding world.

This may take several weeks. During this period, the pressure will stabilize and the brain fluid will cease to affect the skull, which is just being formed.

At this age, headaches very often appear, which are caused by developmental pathologies. Such attacks can be caused by diseases of the central nervous system, abnormal development brain tissue, skull bones, tumors. To correctly determine how an attack begins, it is necessary to observe the child and his behavior.

If headaches appear from high blood pressure, they can be provoked by a change in body position, during a massage or a sudden change in climate and weather conditions. The following symptoms may appear:

frequent tearfulness;
general lethargy;
children often spit up;
flinches for no apparent reason;
tries to throw his head back.

Pay attention to the size of the head; if it seems large to you, contact a specialist, such a sign may indicate high blood pressure. At the same time, the child sleeps restlessly; convulsions are possible, muscles are always tense. Vessels are visible on the head, the fontanelle is enlarged and may long time don't close. IN difficult cases There may even be a separation of the bone sutures of the skull.

If such signs appear, be sure to contact pediatrician. It may be necessary to consult with specialized specialists - an ophthalmologist, a neurologist. Very often a full examination is carried out and the child is left in the hospital for several days. Modern method allows you to examine the brain with ultrasound.

Only after making a diagnosis will the doctor prescribe a course of treatment. At the same time, it may have positive influence massage and swimming. Medicines are used according to age; in very difficult cases, surgical intervention is necessary.

In children from 3 to 7 years old

Children from three to seven years old experience attacks of headaches due to various reasons. But at this age they can already express their complaints and talk about their feelings.

With any cold, a side symptom appears in the form of a headache, fever, dizziness, and deterioration in general health may occur.

Try to ask your child how and after what an attack can begin. There is no need to give your child pills very often; they can be used in in rare cases, for stopping strong pain and after that be sure to consult a doctor.

In many cases of headache attacks in children, it is enough to ventilate the room or take the child outside. Turn off the TV or loud music. Monitor how much time your child spends at the computer.

The recommended time is no more than two to three hours a day. The cause of headache attacks can be overwork and overexertion. The organs of hearing and vision may be involved in this process. A painful attack begins unexpectedly and the child may begin to be capricious and cry for no apparent reason.

Please contact special attention, if your child has suffered a head injury or was simply hit by it. After the injury itself, children in a state of shock may not feel pain, but after a while attacks will begin. This can happen even after several months, so be sure to have your child examined after injuries or head impacts.

At this age, a child should sleep for at least two hours during the day. If you refuse nap Nervousness may begin to appear, and the central nervous system may not develop properly.

The pediatrician prescribes comprehensive examination body, to identify the cause of headache attacks and only after that begins treatment. Very often, the causes of headaches are complex diseases that require specific treatment and seizures appear as a side effect.

In practice, there are cases when children complain of a headache from hunger or, conversely, from excessive intake food. Therefore, the diet should be complete, containing vegetables and fruits, dairy products or lean meat and fish.

This age is associated with many processes that occur directly in the child’s body itself and in adaptation to the outside world. Such changes occur due to the possibility of a large amount of stress - this is associated with studying.

During this period, the child reacts very emotionally to everything that happens and relationships among peers. In this regard, the nervous system does not always withstand the load and headache attacks may begin.

Excessive emotionality appears due to change hormonal levels. It is during this period that happens puberty. Therefore, the body can react to this very violently.

Due to the high mental load in educational institution Overwork may occur and headaches will begin while performing homework or when long work at the computer. In order to reduce this possibility, you can take Iodomarin, potassium and calcium in combination with vitamin B.

Doctors believe that girls react more vividly to everything that happens and their nervous system is more vulnerable. Therefore, try to establish contact with your child and build a trusting relationship.

At this age there may be sudden changes blood pressure. This is affected by abrupt change climate and weather changes. At the same time it worsens general health. In this case, it is necessary to teach the child to follow a daily routine, introduce healthy and healthy food, organize his day so that he can be at fresh air about two hours a day.

The occurrence of seizures may be associated with allergic reaction or the body’s inability to accept any foods or spices. It is very important in this situation to identify this substance and abandon it.

The attacks may go away on their own. In such a situation, self-medication is prohibited and medications can only be taken after diagnosis and as prescribed by a doctor.

In adolescence, indiscriminate use medicines unacceptable because other organs may be damaged and body systems. This influence has a negative impact on health and leads to chronic diseases.

Common Causes of Headaches in Children

Headache attacks in children begin due to:

overstrain and overwork;
climate and weather changes;
changes in blood pressure;
changes in hormonal levels;
stressful situation;
injuries;
chronic and complex diseases;
formed tumors;
pathologies in the development of organs and their systems.

Almost all the reasons are very similar to the appearance of headache attacks in adults. But headache in children can lead to more serious consequences due to the formation and growth of the entire organism.

The central nervous system has not yet become stronger and excessive irritability may begin; when overtired, headache attacks can be quite long and affect overall quality life. The child’s body experiences certain stresses and puberty sets in, so it requires a special approach and attention.

In the process of forming a child, it is necessary to create the most comfortable and favorable conditions so that he is physically formed and adapted in society, learns to cope with stressful situations and led a healthy lifestyle. For any injuries received, it is imperative to examine the child completely in order to avoid the development of complex diseases and pathological development.

If a child complains of a headache, his diet should be balanced and healthy. Teach him to eat small meals several times a day. Try to cook fried, salted, smoked foods as little as possible. Do not feed your child foods that contain food additives and preservatives.

Make sure your child does not overeat chocolate or drink strong tea and coffee. These products are in large quantities can cause headache attacks. Be sure to teach your child to do exercises every day or play sports. A healthy lifestyle is good prevention various diseases and can help avoid headache attacks.

In childhood and adolescence they can develop bad habits and this will have a very bad effect on your overall health, studies and chosen hobby. Teach your child the right lifestyle and attitude towards their health.

Relieving headaches with medications

It must be remembered that treatment is possible only after determining the cause of the attack. To do this, be sure to examine the child and follow all the doctor’s instructions. Try to find out from him yourself how and after what the attack begins; you can keep a diary and write down his feelings.

This is especially true if a child experiences headache attacks and may experience side effects such as vomiting, nosebleeds, and dizziness. If necessary, give your child a brain examination, vascular system and get advice from specialists.

Medicines and their dosage are prescribed by the doctor. In case of severe pain, you can give the child a painkiller tablet - half or a quarter of the whole, it all depends on the age. Such actions can be taken independently only in extreme cases. In this case, it is possible to use Paracetamol, Acetyl salicylic acid", "Domperidone".

It is not recommended to give pills or other medications to children under three years of age without consulting a doctor. When treating infections, it is imperative to take medications correctly, but a metabolic disorder may be a side effect of the disease and the method of treatment.

As a result, it appears general weakness, vomiting and headaches. In this case, it is necessary to abandon medications and reconsider the general approach to treatment. When starting to take medications, be sure to make sure that the child is not allergic to any of the components that are in the medications.

At different acute manifestations The child needs to be taken to the hospital urgently. In case of complex diseases, it is necessary to treat the root cause and headache attacks will go away on their own. Pay special attention preventive measures, to achieve long-term remission and complete recovery.

Relieving headaches with folk remedies

Such measures can help you relieve your child of headaches and not harm his health. However, it is still necessary to consult a doctor, especially if it concerns infancy. Relieving an attack will be effective if you know the exact cause.

When overtired and overexerted, the child needs to rest, take a walk outside or just sleep. After this, the body will regain its strength and the attack will pass. If your child suffers from migraine attacks, especially those with an aura, protect him from possible irritants and the attacks will become rare and may even go away altogether.

If the vascular system is not functioning properly and there are sudden changes in pressure, give your child a head and neck massage. Gently massage the entire surface of your head, forehead, and temples with your fingertips. If the child is old enough, teach him to do this on his own.

Explain to him how harmful it is to spend the whole day in front of a computer and TV, or conduct an experiment in the form of a week without a computer. His headache attacks will go away and he can begin to independently regulate his time spent with him. It is recommended no more than two to three hours a day.

Teach your child to drink herbal teas or decoctions, but before that, be sure to consult your doctor about what your child can consume at a certain age.

To maintain the child’s immunity in the right tone, you can use hardening of the body, but you need to accustom the child to this gradually so as not to catch a cold. Wet your hands and feet with cool water at first, gradually lowering its temperature over time.

When the child can easily tolerate this procedure, you can move on to other parts of the body. Subject to availability chronic diseases Any procedures without consultation with a doctor are unacceptable.

It is possible to control an attack using a head compress. Dampen a towel with cool or warm water and tie it on your head, whatever falls off. After twenty to thirty minutes, relief should begin. In this case, it is better to put the child to bed or sit in a comfortable chair.

Prevention of headaches in children

Teach your child to healthy image life from birth. This approach to education will help you avoid many diseases. These include headache attacks.

If your children follow a daily routine, give preference healthy food, do exercises, toughen up, walk in the fresh air - his immunity will be in good condition and can protect the body from infection.

In this case, it is not necessary to play sports professionally or attend a section; it is enough to do exercises every morning - it will take ten or fifteen minutes.

Very good remedy prevention is hardening. This will help your child in later life and not only avoid colds, but also to endure stressful situations steadily.

Teach your child not to sit at the computer all day, or at least take breaks. When preparing homework, you must be behind desk and keep your back straight.

Spinal curvature can cause not only headaches, but also various complex vascular diseases and circulatory system. Many children can watch TV for hours - this also has a bad effect on the functioning of blood vessels and can lead to migraine attacks.

Try to feed your child vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish. IN childhood It is not recommended to drink tea and coffee, especially strong ones. During migraine attacks, it is necessary to completely eliminate exposure to irritating factors. Try to find out from the child how the attack occurs and, together with him, protect him from them.

It is very important that the child can independently follow all your advice and takes this very seriously. This approach will help achieve long period remission and can relieve him of headache attacks.

If your headaches were caused by injury or complex disease It is necessary to coordinate all preventive measures with your doctor. In such situations, any physical activity, massage.

Therefore, be sure to explain to your child what he can do and what he cannot do. For a certain period of time There are no preventative measures; everything will depend on your body.

Headaches in children can occur at any age, starting from birth. The causes of seizures in children may be similar to the causes of seizures in adults. But the child’s body is not yet strong and against this background a complex disease may begin.

Headaches can appear after birth and last until the baby’s body adapts to environment. But under certain conditions, seizures may return. In order to prevent such manifestations, it is necessary to examine the child and find out the reason for their occurrence.

Treatment can be with medications and folk remedies, but only after consulting a doctor and under his supervision. Pay special attention to preventative measures and your child will forget about headache attacks forever.

A newborn baby cannot talk about what is bothering him. Because of this, the process of treatment and diagnosis becomes more complicated. Therefore, it is very important at this age to undergo a full examination and rule out brain diseases or pathologies in the process of child development. Treatment at any age should be prescribed by a doctor and medications chosen.

In newborns

Headache attacks in infants are common, but are complicated by incorrect diagnosis. The child is still very small and simply cannot express his complaints and feelings. Very often the reason is the period of adaptation after birth to the surrounding world.

This may take several weeks. During this period, the pressure will stabilize and the brain fluid will cease to affect the skull, which is just being formed.

At this age, headaches very often appear, which are caused by developmental pathologies. Such attacks can be caused by diseases of the central nervous system, abnormal development of brain tissue, skull bones, and tumors. To correctly determine how an attack begins, it is necessary to observe the child and his behavior.

frequent tearfulness;
general lethargy;
children often spit up;
flinches for no apparent reason;
tries to throw his head back.

Pay attention to the size of your head; if it seems large to you, contact a specialist; such a sign may indicate high blood pressure. At the same time, the child sleeps restlessly; convulsions are possible, muscles are always tense. Vessels are visible on the head, the fontanel is enlarged and may not close for a long time. In difficult cases, divergence of the bone sutures of the skull may even occur.

If such signs appear, be sure to consult your pediatrician. It may be necessary to consult with specialized specialists - an ophthalmologist, a neurologist. Very often a full examination is carried out and the child is left in the hospital for several days. The modern method of neurosonography allows you to examine the brain with ultrasound.

Only after making a diagnosis will the doctor prescribe a course of treatment. Massage and swimming can have a positive effect. Medicines are used according to age; in very difficult cases, surgical intervention is necessary.

In children from 3 to 7 years old

Children from three to seven years old experience headache attacks for various reasons. But at this age they can already express their complaints and talk about their feelings.

With any cold, a side symptom appears in the form of a headache, fever, dizziness, and deterioration in general health may occur.

Try to ask your child how and after what an attack can begin. There is no need to give your child pills very often; they can be used in rare cases to relieve severe pain, and then be sure to consult a doctor.

In many cases of headache attacks in children, it is enough to ventilate the room or take the child outside. Turn off the TV or loud music. Monitor how much time your child spends at the computer.

Pay special attention if your child has suffered a head injury or was simply hit. After the injury itself, children in a state of shock may not feel pain, but after a while attacks will begin. This can happen even after several months, so be sure to have your child examined after injuries or head impacts.

At this age, a child should sleep for at least two hours during the day. If you refuse daytime sleep, nervousness may begin to appear, and the central nervous system may not develop properly.

The pediatrician prescribes a comprehensive examination of the body to identify the cause of headache attacks and only after that begins treatment. Very often, the causes of headaches are complex diseases that require specific treatment and attacks appear as a side effect.

In practice, there are cases when children complain of headaches from hunger or, conversely, from excess food intake. Therefore, the diet should be complete, containing vegetables and fruits, dairy products or lean meat and fish.

School age children

Excessive emotionality appears due to changes in hormonal levels. It is during this period that puberty occurs. Therefore, the body can react to this very violently.

Due to the heavy mental load in school, overwork may occur and headaches will begin while doing homework or while working at the computer for a long time. In order to reduce this possibility, you can take Iodomarin, potassium and calcium in combination with vitamin B.

At this age, sudden changes in blood pressure may be present. This is affected by sudden climate change and weather changes. At the same time, general health worsens. In this case, it is imperative to teach the child to follow a daily routine, introduce healthy and wholesome food into the diet, and organize his day so that he can be in the fresh air for about two hours a day.

The occurrence of attacks may be associated with an allergic reaction or the body’s inability to accept any foods or spices. It is very important in this situation to identify this substance and abandon it.

The attacks may go away on their own. In such a situation, self-medication is prohibited and medications can only be taken after diagnosis and as prescribed by a doctor.

In adolescence, indiscriminate use of medications is unacceptable because other organs and systems of the body may be affected. This influence has a negative impact on health and leads to chronic diseases.

Common Causes of Headaches in Children

Headache attacks in children begin due to:

overstrain and overwork;
climate and weather changes;
changes in blood pressure;
changes in hormonal levels;
stressful situation;
injuries;
chronic and complex diseases;
formed tumors;
pathologies in the development of organs and their systems.

Almost all the reasons are very similar to the appearance of headache attacks in adults. But headaches in children can lead to more serious consequences due to the formation and growth of the whole organism.

The central nervous system has not yet strengthened and excessive irritability may begin; if you are overtired, headache attacks can be quite long-lasting and affect the overall quality of life. The child’s body experiences certain stresses and puberty sets in, so it requires a special approach and attention.

In the process of forming a child, it is necessary to create the most comfortable and favorable conditions so that he is physically formed and adapted in society, learns to cope with stressful situations and leads a healthy lifestyle. For any injuries received, it is imperative to examine the child completely in order to avoid the development of complex diseases and pathological development.

Make sure your child does not overeat chocolate or drink strong tea or coffee. These products in large quantities can cause headache attacks. Be sure to teach your child to do exercises every day or play sports. A healthy lifestyle is a good prevention of various diseases and can help avoid headache attacks.

In childhood and adolescence, bad habits can develop and this will have a very bad effect on your overall health, studies and chosen hobbies. Teach your child the right lifestyle and attitude towards their health.

Relieving headaches with medications

This is especially true if a child experiences headache attacks and may experience side effects such as vomiting, nosebleeds, and dizziness. If necessary, have your child examined the brain and vascular system and get advice from specialized specialists.

As a result, general weakness, vomiting and headaches appear. In this case, it is necessary to abandon medications and reconsider the general approach to treatment. When starting to take medications, be sure to make sure that the child is not allergic to any of the components that are in the medications.

In case of various acute manifestations, the child must be urgently taken to the hospital. In case of complex diseases, it is necessary to treat the root cause and headache attacks will go away on their own. Pay special attention to preventive measures to achieve long-term remission and full recovery.

Relieving headaches with folk remedies

Such measures can help you relieve your child of headaches and not harm his health. However, it is still necessary to consult a doctor, especially if this concerns infancy. Relieving an attack will be effective if you know the exact cause.

Teach your child to drink herbal teas or decoctions, but before doing this, be sure to consult with your doctor about what your child can drink at a certain age.

When the child can easily tolerate this procedure, you can move on to other parts of the body. If you have chronic diseases, any procedures without consulting a doctor are unacceptable.

It is possible to control an attack using a head compress. Wet a towel with cool or warm water and tie it around your head, allowing whatever falls off. After twenty to thirty minutes, relief should begin. In this case, it is better to put the child to bed or sit in a comfortable chair.

Prevention of headaches in children

Teach your child to a healthy lifestyle from birth. This approach to education will help you avoid many diseases. These include headache attacks.

If your children follow a daily routine, give preference to healthy foods, do exercises, exercise, walk in the fresh air, their immunity will be in good condition and will be able to protect the body from infection.

In this case, it is not necessary to play sports professionally or attend a section; it is enough to do exercises every morning - it will take ten or fifteen minutes.

A very good means of prevention is hardening. This will help your child in later life and not only avoid colds, but also cope with stressful situations.

Teach your child not to sit at the computer all day, or at least take breaks. When preparing homework, you must be at your desk and keep your back straight.

Curvature of the spine can cause not only headaches, but also various complex diseases of the blood vessels and circulatory system. Many children can watch TV for hours - this also has a bad effect on the functioning of blood vessels and can lead to migraine attacks.

Try to feed your child vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish. In childhood, it is not recommended to drink tea and coffee, especially strong ones. During migraine attacks, it is necessary to completely eliminate exposure to irritating factors. Try to find out from the child how the attack occurs and, together with him, protect him from them.

It is very important that the child can independently follow all your advice and takes this very seriously. This approach will help achieve a long period of remission and can relieve him of headache attacks.

If the cause of headache attacks was injury or a complex disease, it is necessary to coordinate all preventive measures with your doctor. In such situations, any physical activity or massage may be prohibited.

Therefore, be sure to explain to your child what he can do and what he cannot do. There is no specific time frame for implementing preventive measures; everything will depend on your body.

Headaches can appear after birth and last until the baby’s body adapts to the environment. But under certain conditions, seizures may return. In order to prevent such manifestations, it is necessary to examine the child and find out the reason for their occurrence.

Treatment can be used with medications and folk remedies, but only after consulting a doctor and under his supervision. Pay special attention to preventative measures and your child will forget about headache attacks forever.

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Headache in babies

Timely treatment of headaches in infants will protect them from developing serious illnesses central nervous system.

Headache is not only a problem for adults, but, unfortunately, also for very young children. Parents often believe that if their baby is worried, cries and tosses and turns in the crib, then most likely gases are to blame, causing the baby’s tummy to hurt. However, intestinal colic is not always the cause of anxiety in babies. Babies often have headaches.

Like many other diseases at this age, headaches are a difficult ailment to diagnose. However, there are several external signs by which you can identify the problem and seek help from a specialist. For example, a clear sign of headaches in infancy is a loud, high-pitched and prolonged cry, while the child often stretches his arms to his head, and may pull his hair, rub or even scratch his face. Specified external signs are a reason for a thorough examination of the baby’s nervous system and brain, since the cause of such behavior in the baby may also be pain in the ears, neck, eyes, or during teething.

Why do babies get headaches?

In infants, headaches are most often associated with the baby's adaptation to the new world. Before birth, the child developed in the womb, where conditions are completely different. Therefore, the first few weeks are necessary for a newborn to adapt to the external environment. Getting used to new conditions is often accompanied by an increase in intracranial pressure (pressure exerted cerebrospinal fluid, filling the ventricles of the brain), since the skull of infants is still very tender. Increased blood pressure may result congenital anomalies in the structure of the skull, concussion, trauma, lack of oxygen and other reasons.

In other cases, frequent headaches may indicate the presence of pathological processes in the skull, which most often lead to an increase (less often to a decrease) of intracranial pressure. Headaches in infants can also occur due to extracranial painful processes affecting the bones of the skull or soft tissues of the head, as well as with diseases of the central nervous system and against the background of general disorders.

How does headache manifest in infants?

If the cause of the baby's headaches is an increase in intracranial pressure, then the child may experience pain when changing body position, as well as when weather conditions change or during a massage. Parents often note that in the presence of such factors, the child is lethargic, stiff, often cries and spits up, and also spontaneously shudders and throws his head back.

Babies with increased intracranial pressure may have a larger head circumference than their peers. In addition, such children, as a rule, bad dream, increased muscle tone and a tendency to cramps. Can be clearly visible on the scalp saphenous veins, and the fontanels are usually enlarged and for a long time don't close. In some cases, the sutures between the bones of the skull may diverge.

As soon as you suspect a headache, you should immediately contact a pediatrician, who will subsequently refer you for examination by other doctors. In order to confirm the presence of increased intracranial pressure, the baby must also be shown to a neurologist, ophthalmologist, and also undergo some studies in a hospital setting. If necessary, the baby undergoes neurosonography - a method ultrasound examination intracranial structures. After this examination, the doctor prescribes treatment.

If there are no contraindications, then to correct the baby’s condition, the pediatrician can prescribe massage courses, gymnastics and infant swimming. If these measures do not lead to an improvement in the child’s condition, the doctor prescribes drug therapy, and in some cases, neurosurgical surgery is possible.

Parents should know that timely treatment headaches in children under 12 one month old prevents from developing organic lesions central nervous system (children cerebral palsy, infantile epilepsy, microcephaly, hydrocephalus). Therefore, it is important not to put off treatment for too long, and take everything necessary measures until the baby turns one year old.

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Comments

The information published on the site is for informational purposes only. Described methods of diagnosis, treatment, recipes traditional medicine etc. It is not recommended to use it yourself. Be sure to consult a specialist so as not to harm your health!

Headaches in infants

Unfortunately, headache is a phenomenon that occurs not only among adults, but also among people. Parents most often believe that night crying, tossing and turning in the crib and restlessness of the baby are caused by colic, but this is not always the case. Sometimes this behavior in a child is caused by headaches. Headaches in a child are quite difficult to diagnose, but there are some external signs that may indicate this problem. For example, the most common symptom of headaches in babies is loud and prolonged crying, in which the child may pull his arms towards his head and pull his hair. If parents observe such behavior in their child, it is necessary to immediately contact a neurologist who will prescribe thorough examination brain, allowing to identify existing pathologies. If you don't pay attention to headaches and neurological diseases due attention, this is fraught with the most different consequences, starting with pain in the neck, ears, and ending with the child falling behind school curriculum at an older age.

Why do babies get headaches?

Quite often, headaches in babies are associated with their adaptation to the outside world, because throughout the previous nine months the baby has been developing in the womb, where conditions are far from the outside world. That is why in the first 2 weeks the child adapts to the new world. This adaptation may be accompanied by increased intracranial pressure, which is accompanied by headaches. Also intracranial pressure may occur with some congenital pathologies- congenital anomalies in the structure of the skull, birth trauma, hypoxia and others.

Headaches that are not caused by the newborn’s adaptation to the external environment indicate the presence of pathological processes in the cranium, leading to an increase or decrease in intracranial pressure. Also, headaches in newborns can occur due to extracranial processes affecting the soft tissues of the head, skull bones and the central nervous system.

Symptoms of headaches in infants

If a baby's headache is caused by increased intracranial pressure, then painful sensations, as a rule, appear at the slightest movement or movement. Also, the baby may react by crying to changing weather conditions and during a massage. If the baby has any neurological disorders, this may manifest itself as lethargy, stiffness, frequent spontaneous regurgitation, restlessness and crying of the child, as well as spontaneous shuddering and tilting of the head back.

These children often have a larger head circumference than their peers, have increased muscle tone and are prone to seizures.

If you suspect headaches in a child, parents should immediately contact a pediatric neurologist.

Before using the medications listed on the website, consult your doctor.

Can a newborn have a headache?

How to determine what hurts a child

The baby will “inform” you about a headache by crying for a long time, which is almost impossible to stop. At the same time, the newborn will press his legs towards his tummy, you will hear the bubbling of gases in the intestines, and the child will refuse the breast. At the same time, you may get the false impression that your baby has a stomach ache. In fact, doctors are sure that these are signs of infant migraine of vascular origin. It most often affects children with increased intracranial pressure. During a headache attack, any tension causes lightheadedness, so babies refuse to breastfeed.

If a child who can communicate has a headache, ask him to point out where the pain is worse. If the temples are bothering you or the pain does not have a specific location, it means that the baby is most likely nervous - stressed, psychological stress or anxiety. If the headache is accompanied by fever or is concentrated in one part of the head, take your child to the doctor to rule out internal hematoma or migraine.

If a baby begins to scream sharply some time after eating, he is most likely worried about abdominal pain. At the same time, his behavior is similar to the behavior with a headache, however, with real “colic”, the baby’s stomach swells and becomes hard, but the gases do not pass away. Signs of indigestion, such as loose stools, may also indicate abdominal pain.

If your baby can point to the place where the pain is located, ask him to do so. If the area below the navel bothers you, there may be an infection bladder. Above the navel – indigestion, gas or stress. Pain on the right side is a sign of appendicitis. Bottom left - most likely the child is constipated. You can also determine for yourself sore spot, using palpation. Gently press your fingers on your abdomen different places. The child's reaction will show where it hurts.

If your baby cries and refuses to breastfeed, look into his mouth. White plaque will indicate thrush. At the same time, it hurts the baby to suck. High-pitched crying and refusal to breastfeed can also be a sign of otitis media. Sucking causes an increase in pressure in the middle ear cavity, so the child simply starts screaming after the first sucking movements. To make sure that you are dealing with ear inflammation, lightly press the so-called tragus - a cartilaginous protrusion that is located in front of the auditory opening. Increased crying will be a sign of otitis media. Remember that ear inflammation is almost always accompanied by a high fever.

Do newborn babies have headaches?

IN lately It turned out that toddlers and infants also suffer from headaches. Often attacks of this disease are short, manifest themselves as abdominal pain, indigestion or general malaise and end with vomiting and sleep.

As a rule, parents begin to realize with great delay that their child suffers from migraine.

Kolya's attacks of vomiting and what resembled stomach colic began in infancy, at about six months. His mother thought he had eaten something inappropriate. For some time the boy was not given avocados during his illness, because one day he vomited afterward. Only a few months later it became clear that this was a mere coincidence. When the boy was two years old, he began to complain of headaches during attacks. The attacks usually ended with vomiting and sleep. A few hours later the child woke up and felt much better.

It is very difficult to help an infant suffering from migraine. If we're talking about about older children, you need to set them correct mode day and make sure they get enough sleep. True, some parents believe that the issue here is not the quantity, but the quality of sleep, which they cannot change.

Some babies are prone to colic almost from birth. In this case, colic refers to anything that makes babies cry. The causes of colic are unknown. At first they thought it was abdominal pain, but now many doctors believe that this reaction is caused more likely by the underdevelopment of the nervous system and poor quality of sleep.

It seems that some children have difficulty calming down and do not reach phase deep sleep. The slightest disturbance (internal or external) is enough for them to wake up, cry and no longer be able to sleep, even if they are very tired. It seems that between such “colic” infants and migraines really exist close connection; baby can have hypersensitivity and overstimulating your own brain, as happens during a migraine attack. However, this subject has not yet been sufficiently studied.

Before a child reaches three months of age, it is very difficult to change the structure of his sleep. You can keep him quiet and calm at night (for example, don’t turn on the light when he wakes up to feed), don’t let him nap during the day and try to rock him to sleep, but this doesn’t always help.

What to do if your baby has a headache?

Often infants have a very calming effect on audio recordings of “ white noise”, which is believed to be heard by children in the womb. Some parents say that having their baby sleep in the same bed helps the whole family sleep better; others cannot sleep properly because of such proximity. General recommendations It can’t be here, so do what you think is necessary.

From three to six months of age, you can encourage your baby to sleep longer and more soundly by rocking him to sleep. If your baby wakes up in the middle of the night, try feeding him; If this doesn't help, try not to walk around the house and make noise. It is strictly forbidden to play with a child in the middle of the night. After six months, you can begin “sleep training.”

If your child's sleep is severely disturbed, it makes sense to contact specialized clinic. There they will tell you that you need to approach a child who has woken up and cried and console him. Then leave, let him cry for five minutes, then come over and calm him down; then leave again for ten minutes, then fifteen, and so on. The first night will seem like hell to you, the second will be a little easier, but if you stand your ground, on the third night it will almost certainly work.

Intracranial hypertension

Vision problems with idiopathic intracranial hypertension(IIH) are common. Mild swelling disk optic nerve(OND) is sometimes difficult to differentiate with direct microscopy, so stereoscopic visualization can be used to visualize it, using indirect ophthalmoscopy or slit-lamp examination. Others are pathological. #8658;

Unconventional techniques treatment of headaches in children

Naturopathy Although the term “naturopathy” was coined by New York physician John Seale in 1895, the method dates back to a practice common in 19th-century Germany. natural treatment", based on the action of fresh air, sunlight And physical exercise. Naturopathy is widespread. #8658;

Treatment of migraines and headaches with massage

Massage different types can provide invaluable help to those suffering from headaches and migraines. This method causes the body to release natural painkillers called endorphins. Perhaps it is best (at least at first) to go to a skilled massage therapist. But if your child suffers from frequent migraines, learn a few simple ones. #8658;

How to help a child with severe attack headache?

Treatment of headaches in children involves the use of painkillers and antiemetic (antiemetic) medications. The latter help prevent migraine-induced vomiting and allow the painkiller to remain in the stomach long enough to have its effect. The most common children's painkiller is paracetamol - both in tablet form and in bottles. #8658;

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Headache in newborns

It is known that an infant often cries at night, but the reasons for this behavior can be different. U little man many reasons to worry: intestinal colic, eruption of the first teeth. However, that's not all. The baby may cry loudly if he has a headache. Of course, this does not happen often, but there are many known cases of headaches in newborns of various etiologies. The complexity of the situation is that usually parents do not immediately understand what is happening to their baby, since the baby, due to his age, is simply not able to express a complaint.

There may be several reasons for pain in the head and neck area in infants.

It is clear that for all nine months the newborn lived and developed in a completely different environment, and, after being born, he changes his environment, to which he may not immediately adapt. That is why the first two weeks infant Headaches may occur. During this period, the mother needs to show maximum patience, her hugs will calm the baby, and breast milk give the necessary strength.
Increased intracranial pressure is another reason this state. Usually, in the medical record immediately after birth, the pediatrician writes whether such a process is likely. This anomaly may be a consequence of congenital negative processes, such as oxygen starvation fetus, birth trauma, features of the infant's skull. In this case, specialists prescribe treatment and supportive therapy for the diseases that cause the headache. Certain pathological processes can also occur in the skull itself, leading to pain. This can be determined by ultrasound examination and a number of other studies.
Also, sensations of pain in the head of a baby can be caused by processes occurring in soft tissues heads that affect the central nervous system.

Signs of pain in a baby, depending on the cause, can manifest themselves in different ways:

If a newborn, for example, suffers from intracranial pressure, pain occurs at the slightest turn of the head.
In the case when the baby has neurological problems spasmodic pain regurgitation and lethargy are added to the head.
Cramps and severe headaches are characteristic of increased muscle tone.

Diagnosis of headache in a newborn

Diagnosing headaches in infants is quite difficult. The child usually cries a lot and does not sleep well at night. The observing pediatrician has an idea about the general picture of the baby’s well-being after his mother’s discharge from the maternity hospital. If the chart contains a diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure, for example, then the specialist already assumes the presence of problems related to headaches.

Complications and possible negative consequences closely related to pathological conditions, the symptoms of which are expressed through headache and other symptoms. It happens that pain in the head is a sign dangerous disease, and if no measures are taken, the disease will go either to chronic form, or will progress.

An ultrasound examination of the brain may clarify the situation. You also need to consider associated symptoms, if they are observed during the same period.

What can you do

If a newborn is suffering from headaches, and the diagnosis has already been definitely made, you can prepare herbal decoction to relieve pain. But on this issue, you must first consult a doctor. The baby’s body can react unpredictably to one or another recipe. Therefore, you should proceed with caution here.

What does a doctor do

Before prescribing treatment, an experienced specialist must determine the cause of pain in the head. Its treatment depends on the cause of the disease. In mind small age patient, therapy will be as gentle as possible. As a rule, headaches in newborns can occur during the first two weeks of life; as the baby develops, the pain goes away.

But there are also situations when the doctor is forced to prescribe an ultrasound of the baby’s brain in order to identify the cause. painful sensations. Usually the expert prescribes this study in advance, the mother will only have to bring the baby at the appointed time for examination. Somehow specially prepare for this survey- no need. The doctor, having looked at the results of the ultrasound examination, prescribes necessary procedures. If the ultrasound is normal, the specialist concludes that no pathological processes are observed and prescribes adherence to the regime and walks in the fresh air. Perhaps the adaptation period was delayed.

A baby needs to be created comfortable conditions for development and growth. Daily routine, personal hygiene, nutrition - the main aspects for full life crumbs. To prevent health problems, special attention should be paid to walking in the fresh air. They are very important for an infant.

After discharge from the maternity hospital, the pediatrician usually gives a number of instructions to the young mother, especially if the baby has any health problems. Also, a nurse from the clinic, who comes to the baby for examination in the first week of life, also voices some recommendations. A new mother needs to listen carefully to the recommendations of qualified specialists and strictly follow them.

For example, in the first months of its life, a baby is very susceptible various kinds infections, and parents should pay special attention not only to the little person’s daily routine, but also to their personal hygiene. You should wash your hands several times a day, be sure after going outside and before you want to pick up the baby in your arms, wear a mask during flu epidemics, and never approach the newborn without it. Prevention of meningitis and other diseases, the symptoms of which are sharp pains in the head, begins with organizing the sterility of the room and the environment of the baby.

Every parent strives to understand their child, because this brings the family closer together.

But when we talk about infants, it is important to understand them not so much based on the establishment of family relationships, but from a vital necessity - after all, the baby cannot talk about his health problems.

How to tell if your baby has a sore throat

When a baby has a sore throat, just like an adult, the color of the throat mucosa changes - from pale pink to red. How redder throat, the more painful infant. Attentive parents will quickly notice that the child began to sleep worse, suddenly began to refuse food, and when swallowing, screams and cries shrilly. If all of the above signs are present, it is necessary to arm yourself with an examination stick and examine the child’s throat.

In addition, sore throat and redness may occur against the background of a number of other symptoms, such as chills, fever, increased body temperature of the baby, and nasal congestion. Correct diagnosis Only a qualified doctor can diagnose it, and only he can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

How to tell if a baby has a sore throat

With a sore throat, the child begins to refuse food and swallow with great difficulty. In addition, he has a special condition in his eyes - they become “glassy” and watery. Without fail, with a sore throat, the child begins to cry loudly and shows anxiety. All this happens against the background of redness of the mucous membrane of the throat. The child begins to cry especially hard when swallowing, because it becomes painful for him to do this.

How to tell if your baby has ear pain

Ear pain in an infant can be recognized by the fact that the child begins to cry bitterly and tries to take the most comfortable position, cannot sleep for a long time, his temperature rises and he begins to refuse food. To find out whether this is actually the case, you should press lightly on the tragus - they protrude above the lobe of the ear. If a child begins to wince and moves his head away, often crying, it means his ear hurts.

Often otitis media begins after a child has had an acute respiratory viral infection. If this is exactly the case, then after the child’s condition improves, his temperature begins to rise again, he cannot breastfeed, he becomes restless and turns his head from side to side. Sometimes, after crying and screaming, the child suddenly calms down, his body temperature returns to normal and it seems that everything has passed. However, if at daily care his mother is watching the baby spotting from the ear, this means that the eardrum has ruptured.

How to tell if your baby has a headache

Most often, a headache in a baby can be recognized by prolonged crying, during which the baby pulls his hands to his head and begins to pat himself for it. If the child cries loudly and for a long time, parents should, without wasting time, contact a neurologist. He is able to prescribe the correct course of treatment for the child, based on a brain examination that can detect all existing pathologies. If headaches in an infant are not given due attention, various unpleasant consequences, ranging from problems with the ears and up to the baby subsequently falling behind the school curriculum in the future.

How to tell if your baby has a stomach ache

If a baby has a stomach ache, he will begin to cry loudly and for a long time, and this crying will be impossible to stop. At the same time, the child will begin to pull his legs towards his stomach, will begin to refuse the breast, and by listening to his stomach, it will be possible to make out the seething gases in it. They can also accumulate due to the characteristics anatomical structure esophagus of a child, which appear during the first months of his life. In this case, his tummy becomes round, increases in size and becomes hard to the touch when palpated. The child constantly shows anxiety, sleeps poorly, often shudders during sleep, and begins to show signs of lack of appetite.

To make the baby's position easier, you should change the position in which he lies, shift him first to one side, then to the other. Similar manipulations can be repeated several times. If repeated regularly, there is a chance that the gases will move through the intestines and stop bothering the child.

Deputy Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Psychoneurology of the Moscow Department of Health, pediatric neurologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences

Why might a child have a headache? How much is this alarm signal– and what health problems might it indicate? How can I help my child relieve pain? What tests will you most likely be prescribed to understand the cause of your headaches?

– pediatric neurologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Deputy Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Psychoneurology of the Moscow Department of Health.

At what age can a child start to feel a headache?

A child can develop a headache at any age - the question is whether he can formalize this sensation into a specific complaint. Sometimes a child feels discomfort, but cannot clearly explain where exactly it hurts.

Usually, by the age of six or seven, a child can understand that he has a headache and complain about the headache.

Why does my head start to hurt?

The basis of the phenomenon is always a violation of the blood supply to the brain. But why this happens - there can be a lot of answers to this question, for example:

Imperfection autonomic system body,

Beginning respiratory disease(prodrome),

The presence of any serious disease: kidney disease, endocrine disorder, anemia, rheumatism and others;

Toothache, which provokes headaches;

Consequences of head injury;

Excessive nervous tension associated with stress, long hours of work, conflict, serious experience, etc.

Influence external environment: long stay in stuffy room, increased solar radiation, long stay in the sun, etc.

Headaches can come in different ways. Is it possible to understand, depending on the complaints, what the cause of the pain is?

Pain in the back of the head. If a child, complaining of a headache, points to the crown and back of the head, most often we are dealing with a tension headache. It usually occurs in the afternoon and is associated with posture, when the child is already quite tired: in spent a lot of time sitting during the day. About a third of visits to the doctor complaining of headaches are due to this type of pain.

Tension headaches are associated with overwork neck muscles. Invite your child to stretch his neck and shoulders, do calm exercises, and lie on the floor to relieve tension from his back and neck.

Pain in the temples. Pain in temporal region often indicate autonomic disorder. Here it is worth looking for an individual method, but most often either resting in a well-ventilated area or a short walk helps.

The forehead and top of the head hurt. This is usually pain in the first half of the day, and can be caused by increased intracranial pressure. If such pain recurs systematically, you should consult a doctor - a pediatrician, an ENT doctor and undergo additional examinations.

Half of my head hurts. This seems to be a manifestation of migraine: unfortunately, it can also begin in early age. This sharp pain, which occurs suddenly, at any time during the night, and intensifies within 10-15 minutes from weak to almost unbearable. In this case, the most important thing is to stop the attack as soon as possible. If your child has a history of migraines, it is best to give him a pain reliever as soon as he begins to complain of increasing pain.

Situations when you need to be especially careful

The most alarming symptoms for headaches - nausea, vomiting, photophobia, hyperocusia (when sounds are irritating), increased excitability or lethargy. All these are signs of serious disorders, in which you must definitely show your child to a neurologist and undergo a series of examinations.

Do I need to call an ambulance or go to the hospital immediately at the time of an attack?

First of all, you need to try to relieve the pain: calm the child, put him to bed, give him a painkiller, dim the lights and create silence. " Ambulance“It is worth calling if the attack is very severe and you cannot cope with it - but there is no need to hospitalize the child right at the moment of the attack without any special reason.

How often can a healthy child get a headache?

Every person, including a child, can have a headache from time to time. Approximately 12% of schoolchildren miss 1 school day per month due to headaches. A moderate headache 1-2 times a week in the afternoon is not too much of a cause for concern. IN puberty This is even partly the norm. If your child complains of headaches more than three times a week or every day, you should monitor his condition more closely.

Keep a headache diary. Whenever your child complains of a headache, note the date and time of the complaint so you can track the frequency of the complaint. Also, ask your child to rate the headache on a scale of one to ten. If the child is too young, use a visual scale.

Observing the headache for several weeks will give you a fairly complete picture. Take the diary to your doctor's appointment: this will greatly facilitate the process of making a diagnosis.

Download the headache diary with instructions for filling it out

Which doctor should I see if I have a headache?

To the pediatrician– if the headache is accompanied by fever or other symptoms (difficulty urinating, rash, symptoms of respiratory disease).

To an otolaryngologist- to exclude chronic pathologies And inflammatory diseases sinuses (sinuses). Sometimes it happens that, for example, due to a deviated nasal septum or allergic rhinitis The child constantly has difficulty breathing and the brain does not receive enough oxygen.

To a neurologist, who will look at the big picture and decide which studies to order.

To the ophthalmologist– by referral from a neurologist, if the child is suspected of having increased intracranial pressure. The ophthalmologist will perform a fundus examination on the child.

What tests are prescribed for a child to determine the nature of the headache?

Doppler ultrasound of cerebral vessels– to identify asymmetry or other abnormalities in the development of cerebral vessels.

Radiography cervical spine spine– to diagnose pathologies of the cervical vertebrae, which can also cause headaches.

MRI, CT scan of the brain– if there is a suspicion of injury, tumor or something serious.

Is it possible to wait until the headache the pain will go away herself? Is it necessary to take pills?

If you have a one-time headache, you can simply put your child to bed and let him rest. But if a headache significantly affects the quality of life, if it is systematic, you need to think about drug treatment.

If you have not been assigned any special drugs, choose a drug with one of three active ingredients(indicate INN): ibuprofen, nimesulide, paracetamol (arranged by degree of effectiveness in descending order). None of these drugs are addictive or have serious side effects with the right one-time dose. Calculate the dosage of the medicine according to the age and weight of the child.

Please do not give your child other medications that you may be using yourself. This may cause serious harm his health.

If a child has a headache, is he tired?

Quite possible, but not necessary. Try to limit your child’s psycho-emotional stress and look at the reaction: if the frequency of headaches decreases, then your fears were justified. But a headache may be associated not with overwork, but with emotional overstrain: the child may not be tired, but he worries a lot and this exhausts him. This happens to children who have just recently started school. In this case, the parent’s task is, if possible, to remove the importance of school success, to provide the child with psychological support. If we are dealing with a psychosomatic headache, then it is very important to let the child understand that his life and happiness do not depend entirely on how well he copes with new tasks.

Is it true that hunger can cause headaches? Is it right to relieve headaches with sweet tea or coffee?

Most often, hunger is not the cause of headaches, but the feeling of hunger itself is an emotion that affects the child’s general well-being and causes him discomfort. As for a sweet warm drink as a remedy for headaches, this is a completely adequate measure, however, you need to understand that tea or candy in this case plays the role of nothing more than distracting therapy. We simply direct the child’s attention from headaches to eating. This may help here and now, but if the headache is specific reason, then it is better to identify it and begin to treat it, rather than distract it.

One more nuance. If a headache is easily relieved by eating or drinking a sweet drink, then I would advise monitoring your blood glucose levels just in case. Your headaches may be related to a metabolic disorder.