When Your Child Has a Migraine

BY DEBORAH BARR

“Mommy, my head hurts!”

As a parent, you know how hard it is to hear those words, knowing your child is in pain. What’s even harder is not knowing what’s causing their pain or how to help them feel better. If your child’s head pain episodes are frequent, do you wonder, “Could this be migraine?”...and then dismiss the idea because only adults have migraine, right? The truth is, even infants and young children can have migraine. In fact, by age 10, one in 20 kids has migraine. Could your son or daughter be one of them?

Finding the answer may require some detective work. Migraine can look different in children than in adults, so here are some key questions to ask:

• Do you or the child’s other parent have migraine?

Do other relatives have it? Family history is important because migraine is an inherited disease. If one parent has migraine, a child has a 50% chance of having it, too. If both parents have migraine, their child has a 75% chance of inheriting migraine disease.

• Was your child a colicky baby? According to research, colicky babies are more likely to have childhood migraine.

• Does your elementary-age child have recurring stomach aches that last a long time?

These may be episodes of abdominal migraine, often an indication that the child will develop migraine in the future.

• If your child is too young to tell you how they feel, observe their behavior when in pain. Do they want to be in a dark, quiet room? They may be sensitive to light and/or sound, common features of migraine. Do they have decreased appetite?

They may be experiencing nausea, also common with migraine. • For older children, Dr. Lauren Strauss, a pediatric headache specialist at

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, recommends gently asking questions during their migraine attack (because they often don’t remember details the next day):

- “Where does it hurt in your head? Show me with your hands.” - “Do you want to listen to music, or do you prefer quiet?” - “Does your tummy hurt?”

If the answers suggest migraine, keep a log of your observations and conversations with your child. Tracking your child’s experience provides a vital piece of the puzzle, because there’s no blood test, scan, or any other test for diagnosing migraine. Doctors must rely on family history, parental observations, and conversations with the child to determine if he or she has migraine.

If you suspect your child has migraine, share your family history and your observation log with your child’s doctor or a pediatric headache specialist. If migraine is diagnosed, partner with the doctor on a plan of action. Treatment may include recommendations for lifestyle changes, supplements such as vitamin B2, magnesium, coenzyme q10, and medicines to relieve or prevent attacks.

How to Help Your Child

There are many practical and loving ways to help your child deal with migraine. Here are three things parents can provide:

• REASSURANCE. While others may dismiss your child’s migraine complaints, you can provide reassurance and empathy. A child who hears mom or dad say, “I believe you,” knows they’re not alone on their migraine journey.

Parents can also assure their child that a migraine attack isn’t dangerous, and that the pain will pass.

• LIFESTYLE. Super-sensitive migraine brains crave consistency. Kids should not skip meals, especially breakfast. They need 8-10 hours of nightly sleep and a consistent bedtime, even on weekends. It’s also important to stay hydrated, avoid caffeine, and get exercise. A “migraine-friendly” lifestyle can be difficult for busy families with sports and church activities that can last till 9:00 at night. Dr. Strauss encourages parents to see their child’s headaches as a warning that it’s time to rethink the family’s schedule and priorities.

• COMFORT. Dr. Strauss encourages parents to create a “headache cave” for their child, a comforting place to retreat during a migraine attack. The “cave” can be any quiet room where lights are off and, if the child is not sensitive to fragrance, essential oils such as lavender can be used to create a soothing aroma. Discovering what’s most helpful can be a trial-and-error process, but parents will eventually be able to prepare a kit ahead of time that includes whatever helps the child get through the headache. For example, a “headache cave kit” could include: migraine medicine, sleep mask, ear plugs or headphones, anti-nausea bands, throw up bag, ice pack or warm pack, and a weighted blanket. Some children are also especially comforted by the presence of a pet such as a bunny or cat that serves as a “therapy animal” during the headache.

To learn more about pediatric migraine, visit

AmericanMigraineFoundation.org

THE COLD, HARD, WARM, FUZZY FACTS

BY KAREN COOPER

Getting a new pet is a vey exciting time and it’s also a big decision. You’re committing to love and care for this new family friend for the rest of their life. It’s significant and will change your and your family’s life for many years to come.

In my family, after a lot of discussion, we decided to get a puppy! Not just any puppy, one of the most active, smart, attentioncraving puppies you can find…an Australian Shepherd. Several years earlier we had found our first Aussie, “Sawyer,” at a shelter and knew right away that we were meant to be together. He was seven when we found him and 13 when he passed away. We were so sad and wished we had had more time together. Although I was content to get an older dog this go-round, after some discussion with the family, we decided that we wanted to be able to love our dog from the beginning of its life to the end…so it was “#puppylife, here we come!”

My last puppy had been 20 years earlier, which was a long time ago. My husband had never had a puppy before, and boy, were we in for a whirlwind with the one we got!

We picked “Sunshine,” our black-tri Aussie, up at eight weeks old. She was a little fur ball with the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen. Flash forward and she is now almost six months old, and we have learned a lot from our adventures with our Sunshine girl. Here are the most important things we have discovered from our new puppy life:

IT’S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE LONG GAME.

Puppies are so adorable and cuddly, but they can also be so frustrating, you wonder why on earth you thought bringing one home was a good idea. Whenever I find myself frustrated with her innate puppy behaviors or just her crazy, Aussie energy, I remember the long game. We are in the training process. It doesn’t get perfected overnight. She will be growing and changing as she gets older, and she won’t always be this wild crazy girl. I remind myself to enjoy all this energy while she’s young and enthusiastic, to play and try new things. She will only be our little girl for a short while.

DOGS LOVE THEIR ROUTINES.

After waking up to take the puppy out every weekday at 7:00, don’t think you’ll be sleeping in on the weekend! Sunshine is up and at ‘em most days before we are and she’s ready for her morning snuggles, her outside potty time and her breakfast. If we mess up her routine, it’s not good for anyone.

FOLLOW A DAILY EXERCISE SCHEDULE (as much as possible).

Puppy energy comes in short, sometimes wildly dramatic, bursts. It’s important to give them a way to release all that energy throughout the day. In our house, we’ve found that running in the backyard 3-4 times a day is the best way to achieve this. This can be running to explore, running to catch a ball or frisbee, playing chase or several other ways to get that physical activity. This also allows the puppy to be in a safe, enclosed environment where she can run and play freely, but with supervision. She also gets a lot of exercise when she goes to doggie daycare, where she’s able to socialize with other dogs and people. There are so many ways to exercise your puppy…the important thing is that your puppy stays active and preferably sticks to exercising on a schedule, so he/she knows what to expect. This builds trust with your new best friend.

PROVIDE TOYS FOR MENTAL STIMULATION.

When you put your pup down for a nap, or when they’re hanging out with you quietly in the house, make sure they have access to toys that provide mental stimulation. Mental exercise is equally important as physical exercise. Toys are a great way to keep your puppy entertained, which means they will avoid negative behaviors such as nipping, chewing on furniture, or barking to get your attention. Chew toys also serve an important purpose for your puppy, as they can help decrease stress and anxiety, and also help avoid chewing in all the wrong places.

LOVE YOUR GOOD GIRL OR BOY.

Most importantly, show your puppy love! Make them feel secure by meeting their daily needs. Remember that the puppy is learning about you just as you are learning about them. Be diligent in your training, but always reward them with lots and lots of praise and love. Who’s a good dog?