Children’s migraine attacks can look so different from adults’ attacks that even parents who have migraine sometimes can’t tell that their child’s symptoms are due to migraine. Here’s some must-have information on children and migraine:

• Often, children have migraine with no head pain, but with stomach pain, nausea and possibly vomiting. (These are called abdominal migraines or headacheless migraines.)
• When a child does have head pain with a migraine, it often felt through the entire head, not just on one side.
• Fewer than half of kids who have head pain with a migraine attack say it is throbbing.
• Children’s migraine attacks often only last two or three hours.
• As a child ages, the frequency, severity and duration of their migraine attacks tend to increase.
• Children’s migraine attacks are usually more frequent during the school year and come on Monday or Tuesday.
• A child’s migraine symptoms can come on abruptly and stop suddenly.
• Colic and carsickness are common among kids with migraine.
• Getting an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan early can help keep a child’s migraines from becoming chronic.
• For acute treatment, Axert (almotriptan) and Maxalt (rizatriptan) are FDA-approved for use in children and adolescents. Over-the-counter painkillers like Advil (ibuprofen) and Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be helpful.
• To prevent migraine in children, medications such as amitriptyline, cyproheptadine and propranolol of often used.

References:

• Kacperski, J., & Hershey, A. D. (2014). Preventive Drugs in Childhood and Adolescent Migraine. Current pain and headache reports, 18(6), 1-8.
• Singhi, S., Jacobs, H., & Gladstein, J. (2014). Pediatric Headache: Where Have We Been and Where Do We Need to Be. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 54(5), 817-829.
• Winner P. Migraine and Headache Management in Adolescents and Young Adults. Talk presented at: Annual  American Headache and Migraine Patient Conference; November 24, 2013; Scottsdale, Arizona.