Is your child a victim of frequent headaches? Do they wake from a sound sleep with a headache? Do they often complain of a headache? If you answered yes to any of...

Is your child a victim of frequent headaches? Do they wake from a sound sleep with a headache? Do they often complain of a headache? If you answered yes to any of those questions you may want to discover ways you help prevent headaches in your child.

A child as young as ten or younger can and does have headaches. They may be a mild headache that will only last a short time, or they may be more severe and last for a couple of days. The pain can be moderate, or it can be severe. If someone in your immediate family often has headaches, your child may have inherited that trait.

Your child may also suffer from tension or stress headaches, or migraines. They will have most of the symptoms that an adult with a headache will have. Only taking a nap or resting will not always help them. If your child has a stress or tension headache, it will probably not have any other symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea or vomiting.

A migraine headache will include pain that starts on one side of your head and be pounding or throbbing. If the child is active it may get worse and nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain may go with it. A child with a migraine may have blurry vision, and be sensitive to light and sounds. Often they will be sensitive to smells too. A certain smell may trigger a migraine in a child.

There are ways you can prevent headaches occurring for your child.

* Make sure the child gets enough sleep. The sleeping patterns should be regular and consistent. Most children and teens need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.

* Your child should eat regular and balanced meals. The meals should be nearly the same time each day. If your child skips meals headaches may be the result. Skipped meals may trigger low blood sugar that can then trigger a headache in a child. There are foods that will trigger a headache so avoid them if possible. Foods like raisins, bananas, food or drinks with caffeine, some beans, nuts, and other vegetables can trigger a headache. Keep a food diary for your child to find out if one of the foods they eat regularly is causing their headache.

* Your child should drink plenty of liquids. Children and teens need at least 4 to 8 glasses of water every day. You might want to give them a sports drink during a headache or when they are exercising to keep blood sugar and sodium levels within normal boundaries. Your child should stay away from those drinks full of caffeine.

If stress or tension headaches are the problem for your child, try to minimize the stress. Avoid over committing them to outside activities and overcrowded schedules. Try to keep them away from potentially stressful and upsetting situations.

Finally, follow the guidelines of any prescribed medications. Skipped doses or overdosing can also cause headaches in your child.

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