Toddler with recurring headaches?!

amother

Turquoise

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 6:48 pm

My doctor mentioned that it may be migraine headaches. When she finishes her current antibiotic, if she is still experiencing headaches we will start to document them. Anyone ever had this?
I guess what I'm looking for is your experience and suggestions. What did you do? How did you get diagnosis?
I'm afraid to look online because it may end up scaring the wits out of me.
More info:
When she has headaches, she stops activity, refuses to eat, and just sits on my lap. This past time she had gone to bed late the night before. Another thing is, she also gets fever if she goes to bed too late at night.

causemommysaid

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 6:54 pm

I don't mean to scare you but I would push for a scan ASAP.

It is pretty abnormal for a toddler to have debilitating headaches.

amother

Turquoise

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 6:57 pm

causemommysaid wrote:

I don't mean to scare you but I would push for a scan ASAP.

It is pretty abnormal for a toddler to have debilitating headaches.

Are you saying from experience?

causemommysaid

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:04 pm

Thank G-d no but I know that headaches in a toddler is very unusual.

I am more cautious by nature so that is why I would aggressively look into it. It is probably nothing and I am just being overly anxious.

amother

Turquoise

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:08 pm

causemommysaid wrote:

That's my problem also. I right away jump to the worst. My pediatrician right away went to migraine. I think I'll call him back tomorrow and discuss it with him. I can't sleep now. I'm so concerned for her.
Eta: so I actually did a search online, and although it is not so common, it is likely that she is having migraines. So back to original question...

Simple1

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:23 pm

Has she had a dental exam yet? It can't hurt to eliminate other sources of pain and checkups are recommended anyways for toddlers.

I have had 5 or 6 year olds who got headaches - possibly because I put them to bed too late.

amother

Turquoise

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:24 pm

amother wrote:

Has she had a dental exam yet? It can't hurt to eliminate other sources of pain and checkups are recommended anyways for toddlers.

Yes, just recently. Everything was just right.

causemommysaid

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:33 pm

amother wrote:

I'm really sorry for scaring you. I am probably just being stupid. I am sure she is just fine and it is just migraines or ear infections.

amother

Turquoise

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:41 pm

causemommysaid wrote:

I'm really sorry for scaring you. I am probably just being stupid. I am sure she is just fine and it is just migraines or ear infections.

Not ear infection. She is on strong antibiotics right now. Would not get ear infection on that.

Learning

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 7:55 pm

amother wrote:

You said she gets fever if she goes to bed late. Is she eating healthy? Fruit and veg and meat and chicken etc. dd used to get sick a lot but since I started giving her more chicken and meat and chewable vitamins she rarely gets sick.

amother

Wheat

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 8:07 pm

My youngest brother used to get really bad headaches when he was a very little, they started around when he was 2 or 3 yrs old. Sometimes it was so bad he threw up. My mother got him checked, MRI and all that, and they didn't find anything. It was just really bad migraines. He grew out of them when he got older and now he doesn't have them anymore.
He had triggers for the headaches. I don't remember all, but when he didn't have enough sleep we were on gaurd for a headache, also when he was outside in the sun too long without a hat, something about the sun light did it. Maybe see if there's a pattern with your dd when she gets a headache.

Bitachon101

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 8:44 pm

1. Check for things that set it off. Could be allergy to anything, including preservatives.
2. I got terrible headaches as a child. I remember banging my head on the wall cuz I didn't know how to get rid of the pain. I don't know how old I was when it started but I went for tests and for blood work and eye exams etc. Nothing doing. I ended up going to a cranio-sacral therapist (do ur research..not all are equal in experience and knowledge)
And in minutes he was able to detect the issue of a skull bone out of position and knocking into a part of my brain. He did some non painful work and after a few months my headaches were gone.

I don't know what the issue is by you but if u can't trace it to any food trigger and no standard doctor is being helpful, consider going to a recommended natural doctor.

Leahh

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 9:06 pm

Is she waking up from the headaches?
I did hear that waking up from a headache is a sign of a bigger problem, not just a migraine. Having trouble falling asleep is normal though. Any migraine sufferer can probably attest that. I used to be a migraine sufferer and had a hard time falling asleep with a migraine but once sleeping I slept until I was woken. I did wake up with a migraine sometimes but I woke up because I had to (ie. Alarm rang....) not because the headache woke me up.

Mimisinger

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 9:40 pm

My neighbor's baby had horrible migraines, would bang her head up against the wall and the crib walls. They went to neurologists and had every scan done. It turned out she was allergic to some food dye that was in her mac and cheese and waffles and whatever other junk she was eating. They changed her diet and the headaches went away.

I can't stand these stories, but sometimes it really does exist. Do all the scans and then look at diet.

FranticFrummie

Tue, Mar 24 2015, 10:46 pm

I agree with all the above. A full allergy panel (not just the quick one, but check for the more rare allergies, too.) Get a scan done, and you'll have a better idea of what's going on.

In school age children headaches are most commonly from stress, but in a toddler I would think it's something more medical than psychological.

Poor little one, I hope you get it sorted out quickly!

amother

Turquoise

Wed, Mar 25 2015, 3:41 am

Thanks for all the responses. Who does full allergy panels? Do insurance cover them?
She eats eggs/cold cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and a protein (chicken/meat/eggs) and a starch for dinner. The only fruits and vegetables she eats are apples peppers and grapes.
She loves pizza- think twice a week.
Candy and cookies very often since puirm. (Shalach manos, Shabbos party, doctors visits, grandparents, you name it)
How would I do an elimination diet?
Where would I start?

rosehill

Wed, Mar 25 2015, 4:29 am

I've suffered from migraines since I was 7, so they definitely can effect little ones.
When one of my kids was about 4, he had headaches, and of course I assumed the worst. The doctor told me little people can have headaches/migraines just like big people. Of course, once in a very odd while you hear a terrible story, so I would keep an eye on it, though not panic.
From your description of her diet, it sounds like she might be getting a lot of sugar and food colourings in the candy and cereal. Those could be culprits, so try to cut down on that. Does she drink soda/iced tea? She could be taking in caffeine that way. Caffeine is still an issue for me to this day.
Someone mentioned a dentist visit; I would also have her eyes checked. There's nothing to lose.
Have her wear a hat in the sun, and make sure she's drinking plenty of water.

I hope this gets resolved quickly. Hug

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Mar 25 2015, 5:07 am

I also suffered from headaches as a child. I had all ths scans and they found nothing ecxcept maybe a sinus infection.

Now years later, I found out Im allergic to sulfites. They are in wines, grape juices, and also many snack foods like crackers and twizzlers. If I eat sometjing with it, I get major migrain, vomiting etc.

IyH its something easy to treat for your dd.

The only thing that would be more concerning is you said she gets fever. This could be totall normal, I just never experienced it. But if her dr wasn't concerned then I guess im over reacting.