Many kids get headaches, and usually they are not serious. Headaches can come from:
- Migraines
- Stress
- Getting hit in the head
- Sinus problems
- Eye problems
- Some foods with certain additives
Brain tumors are very rare and usually come with other signs like dizziness, weakness, double vision or problems seeing.
HOW DO DOCTORS CHECK KIDS WITH HEADACHES?
A children’s doctor (pediatrician) will check the child for problems. They may also:
- Do tests (blood tests or special pictures)
- Send the child to a brain doctor (neurologist)
- Have you keep a headache diary
It is important to tell the doctor if the child has been hit in the head or is stressed at home or school.
Some kids can get migraines. These headaches make them sensitive to light and sound. Sometimes kids will see funny shapes with migraine headaches.
If the doctor can’t find why the child has headaches, they may send the child to the eye doctor (ophthalmologist). The ophthalmologist will perform a full eye exam and check:
- If there is a need for glasses
- How well the eyes work together
HOW DO EYE PROBLEMS CAUSE HEADACHES IN CHILDREN?
There are different ways eye problems can cause headaches:
- Some kids are farsighted (hyperopia). This means they have to work hard to see things up close. This can cause headaches. Sometimes glasses can help.
- Sometimes eyes don’t work well together when looking at things close up. This is called convergence insufficiency, and causes:
- Double vision
- Blurry vision
- Tired eyes
- Headaches
These problems are worse when reading for a long time. Eye exercises can sometimes help. Sometimes kids with this problem need glasses.
- Problems like eye infections, eye inflammation and high eye pressure can cause headaches.
- Too much fluid around the brain is a rare problem that causes headaches. This is not an eye problem but sometimes shows extra fluid and pressure in the eyes.
If the eye doctor (ophthalmologist) doesn’t find any problems causing the headaches, they may have the child go back for more tests with the pediatrician or see the brain doctor (neurologist).
Updated 06/2024
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