There are 2 types of headaches: primary and secondary headaches.
- Primary headaches just happen and are not caused by another underlying health problem. Most headaches that happen again and again are primary headaches.
- The 2 most common types of primary headaches that children get are migraine disease and tension-type headaches.
- When your child has these headaches for more than 15 days per month, they might be called chronic daily headaches.
- Secondary headaches are caused by an underlying health problem. The most common reason for children and teens to have a secondary headache is because of a viral or bacterial infection (like influenza or bacterial sinusitis). Other causes of secondary headaches include things like medicine side effects or medical issues like high blood pressure. Very rarely, secondary headaches can be caused by brain disorders like a brain tumour.
Migraine disease
Migraine disease causes moderate to severe headaches and can cause other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. The pain often feels like a pounding or throbbing. Migraine attacks are usually on one side of the head, but they can be on both sides.
Some children get an aura, which is a feeling or symptom that happens before or when a migraine attack starts. During migraine aura, parts of the brain go through a period of reduced activity which can cause neurological symptoms like vision and sensory changes, usually on one side of the body. Auras are different for everyone, but most are visual, such as seeing coloured spots, wavy lines, dots, or lights. An aura can also be a symptom like tingling or feeling numb or weak.
Migraine attacks can last from 2 hours to 72 hours (3 days). Migraine attacks can get worse when your child is active.
During migraine attacks, the brain releases chemicals which make the brain more sensitive to pain signals and set off other symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. With migraine attacks, your child might:
- not feel hungry
- throw up (vomit)
- have stomach pain
- feel sick to their stomach (nausea)
- be more sensitive to light (photophobia)
- be more sensitive to sound (phonophobia)
- be more sensitive to smells (osmophobia)
- be sensitive to movement and might need to sit still
If your child gets migraine attacks with more complex auras, they may also have other nervous system (neurological) symptoms before, during, or after the migraine such as:
- weakness in their arms, legs, or both
- double vision (because their eye movements are weaker)
- feeling unsteady when walking
Researchers know more about migraine than ever before, but we don’t fully understand what causes migraine disease. Migraine does run in families, meaning there is often a genetic component.
Tension-type headaches
A tension-type headache feels like a dull tightening or pressing on the head. There is no nausea with this type of headache. Your child can still do regular activities with a tension-type headache.
Researchers continue to explore exactly what causes tension-type headaches. They can sometimes happen at the same time as migraine or they can happen on their own.
Chronic daily headaches
Migraine or tension-type headaches might be called chronic daily headaches when your child starts to have them at least 15 days per month.
Your child might start with a headache that never seems to go away. This is called new-daily persistent headache. It can be hard to treat.
We don’t know why your child might start to get more headaches, but you can talk with their healthcare provider to look into what might be contributing to the headaches.
If your child gets chronic daily headaches, they might:
- feel dizzy
- have sleep problems
- feel tired
- feel anxious
- have trouble concentrating
- feel sad
When to get help
Talk with your child’s healthcare provider about your child’s headaches if they are happening often or are causing your child to miss school or activities.
See a healthcare provider as soon as possible if your child has headaches that:
- reach the worst level of pain within the first minute
- are the worst headache of their life
- wake them up regularly at night
- happen with:
- vomiting in the morning
- neurological symptoms like weakness or vision changes
- fevers
- other health changes like weight loss or night sweats
- only happen with exercise
- only start when they lie down or stand up
And see a healthcare provider if your child or teen has headaches and takes immunosuppressant medicines, is pregnant, or has ever been diagnosed with cancer.
Your child’s healthcare provider can do an assessment to help determine the cause of the headache and come up with a treatment plan.
For health advice any time, day or night, call Health Link at 811 to talk with a registered nurse.
