What To Do When Your Child Has A Mild Headache

When your child complains about a headache, your natural instinct tells you to call the doctor immediately.  However, there will be instances when you can’t get professional help right away and so the best course of action is to deal with it first at home while a physician can’t be reached or is unavailable at the moment.

There are many ways of providing relief to a child who’s complaining about a headache.

Talk to your child reassuringly.  A headache can definitely upset a young child because he doesn’t know what to do.  All he knows is that he is in pain and just wants it to go away.  Tell him you are there to make him feel better.  If he tells you he doesn’t want to miss a day in school, try to listen.  Understand why he says so and tries to talk him into staying at home to rest.

Once you have contacted your family physician or pediatrician, describe to him the nature of your child’s headache.  He will ask questions about your child so be as detailed and accurate as possible with your answers.   By doing so, you will be helping your doctor make an accurate diagnosis and thus select the best relief for your child.

The following treatments offer relief for a mild headache among children:

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen

There are many over-the-counter pain relievers available for kids nowadays.  Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are two of the commonly used pain and headache medicines.  But follow the doctor’s advice regarding which headache medicine to buy and the exact dosage to administer.

Cold packs

Dip a clean cloth in cold water.   Wring it dry and apply it on his head where it hurts.  You may also take a clean cloth, wrap ice in it, and apply it on his head.  If you keep a gel pack in the freezer, wrap it in a thin cloth and apply on the head to ease the pain.  Use only cold packs as heat can aggravate a headache.

Rest and sleep

Bring your child to his room or a quiet place.  Turn the lights off, keeping the room dark and comfortably cool.  Mild to moderate headaches will subside once your child is rested.  Keep gadgets away from him so he won’t be tempted to use them in case he feels a little better

Hydration

Give him plenty of liquids.  Water is the best but if he likes to drink fresh fruit juice, you may offer it to him too.  Just remember not to give him any food or drink that contains caffeine as this will only aggravate the situation.

Watch out for other symptoms

Has he developed a high fever?  Is he feeling weaker or has he suddenly developed vision problems?  Does he appear disoriented?  Be on the lookout for these other signs as these could point to more serious health issues.  Call your doctor when any of these occurs and follow his advice.

Find more info here http://www.bentham-open.org/types-of-headaches/