What is migraine in children: symptoms and treatment of the disease

If there is migraine in children symptoms will help to put the correct diagnosis. This neurological disease significantly affects the quality of life, although that poses very little threat to humans. From this disease can suffer not only adults but also children. The emergence of migraine is most often not associated with organic brain pathology. Crucial in the development of the disease has lifestyle and environmental factors. What is the etiology, clinic and treatment of migraine in children?

the Features of child migraine

Migraine is a chronic neurological pathology, the main manifestation which are periodic painful headaches. If simple headaches over time, a migraine requires drug therapy and eliminating the main causal factor. A migraine attack often lasts for hours and even for days. At risk for the development of migraines include children of senior school age (from 15 to 18 years). Currently often registered cases of the disease in children of preschool age. The incidence of migraine among children ranges from 2% to 7%.

An Interesting fact is that among teenagers most often the disease occurs in girls. Distinguish 2 forms of this disease: migraine with aura and without it. The aura is the harbinger of a headache. In children aura most often manifests a visual impairment. Migraines without aura are much more common. There is also the complicated form of the disease. At the same time develops ophthalmoplegia, hemiparesis of the limbs. Regardless of the form of migraine makes it impossible for the normal life of children. They can't learn to perform simple work. Dangerous complication of the disease is the development of migraine status.

Etiological factors

The Symptoms of migraine in a child can occur for different reasons.

The Main etiological factors are:

• a long period of stress as a result of watching TV or working at the computer;
• stress
• heredity
• changes in hormonal levels in adolescence
• failure mode of a dream and wakefulness;
• exposure to strong sound stimuli (loud music).

To Trigger the development of the disease can bright light, physical exhaustion, poor nutrition, alcohol consumption, Smoking, climate change. Migraine attacks in children are often caused by fatigue. Today students spend at computers a very long time. The physical load is absent. Aggravate the situation of a quarrel with parents, friends, classmates, and high workload.

As a provoking factor can be improper diet. Found that some foods (citrus, coffee, cocoa, food supplements) have a negative effect on the nervous system of children. The basis for the emergence of paroxysmal headaches is poor circulation in the brain and the change in concentration in blood of hormones and enzymes (catecholamines, histamine, prostaglandin).

Clinical manifestations

signs of a migraine are scarce. The main symptom of the disease – intense headache. It has the following features:

• felt on one side;
• lasts 4 to 72 hours;
• poorly relieved by simple analgesics;
• combined with photophobia and phonophobia;
• increases with physical work;
• has a pulsating character;
• combined with autonomic disorders.

Migraine in children sometimes with aura and without it. Migraine without aura develops spontaneously without warning. Most often the attacks occur with a frequency of 1-2 cases per month. Headache in most cases concerned children in the evening and night. Pain shrinking. Often it is felt in the forehead and temples. The older children it is localized on one side. In children of preschool age often is bilateral pain. Any movements increase pain.

Sometimes headache combined with nausea or vomiting. Objective signs of disease may include a change of facial expression, the dull look of a child, dark circles under the eyes, redness of the conjunctiva, pallor of the skin. Sometimes there is cyanosis of the extremities. Many children are identified symptoms of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (labile pressure, the increase in daily volume of urine, thirst, diarrhea). Abdominal symptomatology is rare.

The Symptoms of migraine with aura are more diverse. Some time before the paroxysm of headache occur a neurological disorder. The aura lasts about 20 minutes.

The Aura can be manifested by numbness of the part of the body,tingling, mist or dots before the eyes.

About every tenth child develops temporary aphasia (a speech disorder). Attack with aura in most cases lasts less than with aura. Sleep helps to improve the condition. The attack takes place. Often there is vomiting, after which the child's condition improves.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of migraine presents certain difficulties. It includes a survey of the child or his parents, examination, CT or MRI of the brain, a lumbar puncture, General blood and urine. The symptoms of the disease are of great importance in diagnosis. In the case of child migraine without aura in history must be at least 5 seizures, characterized by features of migraine.

How to treat migraine in adolescents and children? To eliminate the migraine attack in children the following drugs:

• ergot preparations ("Ergotamine", "Dihydroergotamine");
• nootropic drugs (Cortexin);
• hormonal preparations ("Prednisolone");
• antihistamines
• and antipyretic analgesics ("Aspirin", "Paracetamol", "Ibuprofen");
• antidepressants ("Amitriptyline");
• beta-adrenergic receptors ("Inderal").

Corticosteroids and antihistamines are used in a severe attack. To prevent subsequent attacks can be used "Topamax" ("Topiramate"). It is used for children 2 years of age. "Amitriptyline" suitable for children older than 6 years. Treatment is required and during the headaches subsided (between bouts). In this situation apply antiserotonin funds ("Cyproheptadine").

Migraine Treatment involves physiotherapy, acupuncture, psychotherapy. Frequently given vitamin preparations, minerals (magnesium), drugs are plant-based. The patient should walk in the fresh air. Of great importance is the normalization of sleep, the silence. Thus, migraine is a common disease not only among adults but also among children of different age groups. The treatment is carried out only after consultation with a neurologist.