Headache torments not only adults, but also children. Parents usually attribute this to overwork. In this case, children can have both a headache and vomiting at the same time. These symptoms may indicate various ailments. About the causes and methods of treatment later in the article.
Why does it appear?
Children should see a doctor if they develop headaches and vomiting. According to diagnostic studies, a specialist makes a diagnosis and checks if there are dangerous ailments. Often this phenomenon occurs from:
- Overwork, excessive physical exertion, strenuous schoolwork, lack of sleep, non-compliance with the daily routine. The pain can pull the head like a hoop, and the duration of such sensations can be about two hours. Paracetamol tablets can help relieve symptoms, along with rest.
- Poisoning. Probably, intoxication is considered the cause, in which vomiting will be the main companion of the headache. In this situation, gastric lavage is necessary. Allergy in the form of a gag reflex appears onspecific food or drug. Temperature, headache, vomiting in a child may occur precisely because of poisoning.
- Overheating in the sun. Sunstroke is considered dangerous for adults and children. Overheating usually results not only in headaches, but also in nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.
- Temperature rises. If a vomiting reflex occurs, the temperature should be measured: vomiting often occurs as a reaction to high temperature.
These are the main causes of headaches and vomiting in children. Usually, first aid allows you to get rid of unpleasant symptoms, improving the condition. But the symptoms - vomiting and headache in a child - can cause serious illness.
What to consider?
Headache is an unpleasant symptom that appears when the vessels of the brain expand or their tone changes. The problem usually occurs in adults with fatigue, autonomic or neurological disorders. But often there is a headache, weakness, vomiting in children. This phenomenon may be due to various reasons, only a doctor can accurately determine them.
Special attention deserves a hereditary cause, especially if the parents suffered from migraines. For many reasons, vascular tone changes. As a result, a headache develops, which is combined with neurological and gastrointestinal manifestations.
Migraine
This disease can be inherited through the maternal line. painappear on one side of the head, usually they are pulsating. Such sensations are observed in the temporal and frontal parts.
Before puberty, migraines appear in both girls and boys. In the future, women are prone to such pain symptoms. In addition to pain, there may be an acute reaction to light, loud sounds, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Infections
Headache and vomiting in children can be the cause of infections that have entered the body. Meningitis is considered a dangerous consequence. With this disease, the child is lethargic, indifferent, there are changes in consciousness, vomiting.
Pain usually appears behind the head, the muscles on the back of the head are tense. In this case, an ambulance is required, otherwise the disease can be fatal.
Polio
With this ailment, a child may experience a headache, vomiting, nausea. Polio usually appears before 6 years of age. A gag reflex with pain syndromes in the head area can be considered one of the signs. There is also a cough, sore throat, mucous discharge from the nose, as well as fever, weakness.
You need to be vaccinated against this dangerous infectious disease. According to statistics, the death rate is 14%, but if you managed to survive after the illness, then there will be disability.
Brain tumor
The appearance of nausea, vomiting, headache in a child may be associated with neoplasms in the brain. About this diseasethe following symptoms may indicate:
- passivity, refusal to eat;
- discoordination, loss of gait confidence;
- impaired vision;
- rapid weight loss;
- appearance of unhe althy pale skin;
- nervous excitability, whims;
- appearance of pain in the head in the morning or at night, sensations may increase.
In these cases, timely medical assistance is needed. Do not self-medicate.
Intracranial pressure
Severe headache, vomiting in a child may be associated with intracranial pressure. Identification of such a pathology occurs with the help of special diagnostic procedures. The causes of high intracranial pressure are considered to be a lack of oxygen during pregnancy, entanglement of the umbilical cord, or a long birth process. Particular symptoms include the appearance of:
- nausea, gagging;
- pain in the eyes;
- unstable emotional behavior - tearfulness, irritability;
- drowsiness, apathy;
- intense pain in the head.
Children with this disease require observation by a neurologist. Only a specialist can prescribe effective treatments.
Concussion
Head trauma is common in children. In this case, the appearance of vomiting, headache, temperature in the child is likely. Symptoms appear some time after the injury.
You should ask the child if there were any falls or blows to the head. You also need to examine the head, is there anyhematomas and abrasions. Bruises that may seem harmless can cause a concussion. In this situation, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Diabetes and starvation
With type 1 diabetes and starvation in children, the appearance of acetone syndrome is likely due to the oxidation of fats as a source of energy. With this disease, lack of insulin prevents cells from using glucose as an energy substrate, and as a result, fat oxidation occurs.
Decomposition products of fatty acids lead to ketoacidosis, that is, acidification of the blood. The body desires to eliminate toxic fat metabolism by excreting acetone and other ketone bodies through the gastric mucosa. As a result, irritation of the organ is observed and vomit is released. The brain also receives negative consequences from fatty acid oxidation products: vascular permeability increases, swelling increases, and pain occurs.
Kidney failure
With the disruption of the kidneys, an accumulation of excess fluid and toxins of nitrogen metabolism appears in the body. This is likely with glomerulonephritis and complication of pregnancy - eclampsia. In this condition, there is an increase in edema and an increase in the amount of fluid in the ventricles of the brain and an increase in the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Convulsions appear in the form of an epileptic seizure. Vomiting is also likely, because through the stomach there is a release of toxic components that build up in the body during kidney failure - creatinine, uric acid.
Gastric andintestinal ailments
If a child has a headache, he is sick, then there is a risk of damage to the digestive tract. With many pathologies, there is pain or discomfort in the abdomen, bloating and flatulence. The child develops a headache, diarrhea, vomiting.
In case of infectious or inflammatory diseases, high body temperature and weakness appear. Self-treatment can only aggravate the situation.
First Aid
If the child's headaches with vomiting increase, then you need to call a doctor. Before visiting the pediatrician, you can give an anesthetic and ensure absolute rest. It is necessary to eliminate noises, harsh lighting, put the child to bed, turning his head or laying him on his side. It is allowed to give a Glycine tablet by placing it under the tongue: this will calm the child.
It is important that a headache accompanied by vomiting does not lead to a worsening of the child's condition. Therefore, before the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to provide first aid:
- Ventilate room to ensure oxygen supply.
- Fever requires antipyretic.
- A cold compress is applied to the forehead.
- Perform a light scalp massage to relieve severe spasms.
- It is advisable to feed the child with steamed food, cereals on the water. Fried foods, s alty and sweet, as well as rich pastries are prohibited.
- If a child refuses to eat, do not force him. Let her drink more water.
- Babies need more oftenbreastfeed or formula feed. With weakness and refusal to drink, the liquid should be influenced in small portions: a lot of water can lead to a new attack of vomiting. Dehydration leads to negative consequences. To restore the water-s alt balance, the drug "Regidron" is needed: 1 sachet is added to 1 liter of water.
The presence of dehydration is determined by:
- weakness, lethargy of the child;
- cold limbs;
- prone to sleep;
- capriciousness, frequent crying without tears;
- barely noticeable pulse;
- heart palpitations;
- dry mouth;
- rare urination;
- circles under the eyes.
Frequent vomiting, headache in a child are good reasons to see a doctor. Timely assistance will help improve the condition and prevent the condition from worsening.
Diagnosis
The arrived specialist needs to establish the cause and condition. The doctor prescribes diagnostic measures for the child, which consist of:
- blood test;
- CT scan of the brain;
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- consultations of an ophthalmologist, neurologist, surgeon and otolaryngologist.
Thanks to the general blood test, it will be possible to establish the general condition of the body. Deviations in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation allow to identify pathology. An increase in leukocytes indicates an inflammatory process.
Babies are prescribed an ultrasound of the brain. This method will help determine hydrocephalus and the development of tumors and cysts. After dataprocedures a specialist can make a diagnosis. Treatment of the child is carried out individually. It is necessary to follow the recommendations of the doctor, as this affects the further he alth.
Basic treatments
Treatment can be drug and non-drug. In the first case, it includes effective activities:
- physical exercise - swimming, skating and skiing;
- observance of the daily routine;
- walking outdoors, limiting TV viewing;
- proper nutrition;
- psychotherapy;
- performing a massage;
- electrophoresis;
- acupuncture;
- phytotherapy.
Drug treatment is used when symptoms prevent children from living fully and learning. It is performed under the supervision of doctors in a hospital. If the cause of such symptoms is high intracranial pressure, then treatment is mandatory.
The consequences of this disease can be sad: vision is lost, epileptic seizures develop, mental functions are disturbed. Surgery is rarely prescribed, for example, the removal of a cyst, a tumor. Medical treatment includes taking diuretics, hormones, vitamins, and sedatives. Effective drugs that restore cerebral circulation and sleep.
Treatment
When a child has a headache, diarrhea, vomiting, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor. Before using any medication, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Atacetone crisis children are hospitalized. In the hospital, sorbents are prescribed, nutrition is adjusted. It is necessary to limit the consumption of fatty foods, drink more water so that there is no dehydration. Usually the pain disappears after the relief of the acute period.
With arterial hypotension and frequent migraines, it is necessary to normalize lifestyle, eliminate stress. The child needs a good rest, often be in the fresh air. If there are many lessons, it is necessary to properly distribute the load.
Hypertension is usually found in overweight children. The child will not complain of headaches and deterioration of well-being during the restoration of nutrition. The menu should include fresh vegetables, fruits, cereals, proteins. Better yet, make an appointment with a professional nutritionist.
To improve the well-being of a child with a headache, specialists often prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With them, the symptoms of general intoxication are eliminated, the temperature and headache are restored. In pediatrics, such drugs as Nurofen and Panadol are actively used. For children from 12 years old, the drug "Nimesil" is suitable.
Traditional medicine
If rest does not improve well-being, then medicines are needed. The difficulty is that many drugs cannot be used to eliminate pain in minors. Traditional medicine recipes will help improve the condition. But in this case, all actions must be discussed with the doctor:
- You need to separate a few leaves of cabbage and attach the inside to the affected area - the back of the head, forehead or temples.
- Fresh vegetable juice helps. Cotton pads are moistened in it and applied to the ears for 10-15 minutes.
- A little Asterisk balm is rubbed into the temple area.
- Eliminate the pain will allow herbal tea with lemon balm. It can be bought at a pharmacy. This recipe is especially useful if the pain appeared due to emotional stress.
- Using milk and egg shake. The remedy, although not very pleasant in taste, but perfectly copes with migraines. In a glass you need to develop an egg, and then pour warm milk. Drink after mixing.
- Lemon juice perfectly tones up, eliminates moderate headaches. Juice must be mixed with water in an amount of 1:1.
- Get rid of pain and fresh peeled lemon peel. It should be applied to the temples for 10-15 minutes.
Folk remedies often allow you to restore the condition of the child. But a consultation with a doctor will help protect him from unpleasant consequences.
Prognosis and complications
When the cause of the disease is not serious, the prognosis will be positive. In brain tumors, therapy is considered difficult, surgery is often required when conservative methods are useless. Common consequences and complications include:
- weight loss;
- slow growth;
- learning gap;
- sleep disorders.
Babies with these symptoms gain weight slowly and usually refuse milk. If signs of pain appear, seek medical attention.help.
Prevention
Sometimes a child will vomit after a headache. The reason for this may be chronic ailments, for example, high intracranial pressure or frequent infectious diseases. To prevent attacks and reduce the frequency of their occurrence, you must follow the recommendations:
- Avoid frequent stress and conflicts in the family, as they cause bouts of pain.
- Regular walks will be good for the child. Finding time for walking is important.
- You need to eat every 4-5 hours. It is necessary that the diet is balanced and includes vitamins, trace elements, water (at least 4-8 glasses a day).
- We need to limit foods that are dangerous for children. This applies to dark chocolate, cocoa, cheeses, nuts. Eliminate caffeine, cola, chips and other junk food.
- Night sleep should be at least 8 hours, but not more than 10 hours a day. Go to bed and get up at the same time.
- It is important to alternate physical activity with proper rest, to avoid overwork. You need to make a daily routine.
- Requires regular exercise, sports. With an attack, you need to limit the load.
- Need to reduce the time of watching TV and being at the computer.
- If headache, vomiting, fever are associated with poisoning, it is necessary to teach the child to follow simple hygiene rules: wash hands before eating and after using the toilet. Do not drink tap water and do not wash vegetables and fruits with running water. You also need to followcaution when swimming in public places.
The gag reflex is an indication that the body is failing. With pain in the head, they can mean a pathological or inflammatory process. Therefore, do not delay to see a doctor in order to improve the child's condition as soon as possible.
