Causes

• Viral illnesses. Most headaches are part of a viral illness, especially with colds. Most often, these last a few days.
• Muscle tension headaches. Most common type of frequent headaches. Muscle tension headaches give a feeling of tightness around the head. The neck muscles also become sore and tight. Tension headaches can be caused by staying in one position for a long time. This can happen when reading or using a computer. Other children get tension headaches as a reaction to stress or worry. Examples of stress in children are pressure for better grades or family arguments.
• Migraine headaches. Severe, very painful headaches that keep your child from doing normal activities. They are throbbing and often occur on one side. Vomiting or nausea are present in 80%. Lights and sound make them worse. Most children want to lie down in a dark, quiet room. Will recur.
• Other common causes. Hunger, hard work or sports, sunlight, coughing.
• Frontal sinusitis. Can cause a frontal headache just above the eyebrow.  Rare before 10 years old because frontal sinus not formed yet.  Other sinuses cause face pain, not headache.
• Serious causes. Meningitis or encephalitis. Symptoms include a headache, stiff neck, vomiting, fever and confusion.

Pain Scale

• Mild: Your child feels pain and tells you about it. But, the pain does not keep your child from any normal activities. School, play and sleep are not changed.
• Moderate: The pain keeps your child from doing some normal activities.  It may wake him or her up from sleep.
• Severe: The pain is very bad. It keeps your child from doing all normal activities.

1. What You Should Know:
   • 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 headaches (including muscle tension headaches) are helped by the following measures.
2. Pain Medicine:
   • To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen. Use as needed. See Dose Table.
   • Headaches due to fever are also helped by bringing the fever down.
3. Food:
   • 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.
4. Rest:
   • Lie down in a quiet place and relax until feeling better.
5. Cold Pack:  
   • Put a cold pack or a cold wet washcloth on the forehead.
   • Do this for 20 minutes.
6. Stretching:
   • Stretch and rub any tight neck muscles.
7. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Headache becomes severe
   • Vomiting occurs
   • Headache without other symptoms lasts more than 24 hours
   • Headache lasts more than 3 days
   • Your child becomes worse
8. Extra Advice - 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.

1. What You Should Know:
   • This headache is like the migraine headaches that your child has had before.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. 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, ibuprofen is the best over-the-counter drug for migraines. Give ibuprofen now. Repeat in 6 hours if needed. See Dose Table.
3. 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.
4. Prevention of Migraine Attacks:
   • Drink lots of fluids.
   • Don't skip meals.
   • Get enough sleep each night.
5. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Headache becomes much worse than past migraines
   • Headache lasts longer than past migraines