Care Advice
Treatment for Mild Headache
What You Should Know About Mild Headaches:
- Headaches are very common with some viral illnesses. Most often, these will go away in 2 or 3 days.
- Unexplained headaches can occur in children, just as they do in adults. They usually pass in a few hours or last up to a day.
- Most recurrent headaches that can occur in anyone are muscle tension headaches.
- Most headaches (including muscle tension headaches) are helped by the following measures.
Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Use as needed.
- Headaches due to fever are also helped by bringing the fever down.
Food May Help:
- Give fruit juice or food if your child is hungry.
- If your child hasn't eaten in more than 4 hours, offer some food.
- Reason: skipping a meal can cause a headache in many children.
Rest - Lie Down:
- Lie down in a quiet place and relax until feeling better.
Cold Pack for Pain:
- Put a cold pack or a cold wet washcloth on the forehead.
- Do this for 20 minutes. Repeat as needed.
Stretch Neck Muscles:
- Stretch and rub any tight neck muscles.
Muscle Tension Headache Prevention:
- If something bothers your child, help him talk about it. Help him get it off his mind.
- Teach your child to take breaks when he is doing school work. Help your child to relax during these breaks.
- Teach your child the importance of getting enough sleep.
- Some children may feel pressure to achieve more. This may cause headaches. If this is the case with your child, help him find a better balance.
- Caution: frequent headaches are often caused by too much stress or worry. To be sure, get your child a medical checkup first.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Headache becomes severe
- Vomiting occurs
- Headache without other symptoms lasts more than 24 hours
- Headache lasts more than 3 days
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Treatment for Migraine Headache
What You Should Know About Migraine Headaches:
- This headache is like the migraine headaches that your child has had before.
- The sooner a migraine headache is treated, the more likely the treatment will work.
- Often the most helpful treatment is going to sleep.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Migraine Medicine:
- If your child's doctor has prescribed a medicine for migraines, use it as directed. Give it as soon as the migraine starts.
- If not, you can use ibuprofen (such as Advil). It is the best over-the-counter drug for migraines. Give it now. Repeat in 6 hours if needed.
Try to Sleep:
- Have your child lie down in a dark, quiet place.
- Try to fall asleep.
- People with a migraine often wake up from sleep with their migraine gone.
Prevention of Migraine Attacks:
- Drink lots of fluids.
- Don't skip meals.
- Get enough sleep each night.
What to Expect:
- With treatment, migraine headaches usually go away in 2 to 6 hours.
- Most people with migraines get 3 or 4 attacks per year.
Return to School:
- Children with a true migraine headache are not able to stay in school.
- Children with migraine headaches also commonly get muscle tension headaches. For those, they should take a pain medicine and go to school.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Headache becomes much worse than past migraines
- Headache lasts longer than past migraines
- You think your child needs to be seen
Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.