Any suggestions for an 11yr old with migraines?

Question

My 11 yr old gets horrible migraines. She's too young for prescription meds. Does anybody have any suggestions?

She has been to a neurologist. I kept track of everything she ate for a while to see what triggered them. For her, it's mostly smells that trigger them.

It is hereditary. Her dad and all his aunts get migraines.

The doctor said she was too young for prescription meds. Her migraines started when she was 9. She usually feels better if she throws up. Poor baby was miserable this afternoon but is feeling some better after a nap.

Answer 1

I'm a Naturalist. I don't believe in synthetic drugs. I suffered from migraines -- at twice your daughter's age, but I can offer some advice. Take what you will.

1. Cut intake of carbonated beverages and refined sugars to a minimum. Cut fats somewhat.
2. Add baked and parboiled potatotes to the diet. Bread, pasta & rice are also helpful if not "oily".
3. Add milk (whole) to the diet - if she opposes "straight" milk, make milk shakes/smoothies and prepare dishes in which milk is essential (i.e., cereals, quiches). Don't serve cold beverages/dishes) close to bedtime as it might interfere with her sleeping.
4. Take caffeine out of the diet (sodas, etc.). Buy caffeine-free soft drinks (for when she insists on them); decaffinated teas, etc.
5. Drink Peppermint Tea (decaffinated) is said to help sooth headaches/migraines. Minimal sugar, if any, but discourage it.
6. Warm meals (as opposed to cold) as often as possible. They are relaxing.
7. "Feverfew" is an herb said to cure migraines. Health food stores often carry dried herbs. Grind it, add to salad dressing or wherever you can - she won't taste the difference. I don't know if it's available in capsule form -- but it's hard to trust manufacturers of herbal supplements to "know" what you're getting. If available in capsule form, I recommend taking the contents out of the capsule and adding it to foods. (I don't like the gelatin capsule sitting in the stomach long, or the sudden burst of contents once it breaks down; the herb more evenly distributed in food is healthier.)
8. Exercise - running, bike riding.... vigorous activity/play. Exercise relieves stress and helps the nutrition of the body flow more evenly.
9. Yoga -- children's classes available some places -- they are relaxing, teach relaxation, and straighten the spine.
10. Deep breathing, clearing the mind, and relaxing... when the headaches occur, after getting into bed, and whenever else it's convenient. Cool cloths and dark rooms are helpful when having a migraines.
11. Get to the cause of any stress. The stress may be minimal (or not), but refined sugars, caffeine, (etc.)... without proper balance of milk, potatoes, (etc.)... can inflame pulses causing migraines.

Note: A baked potato or potato salad would be a healthier after-school snack for someone with migraines. If there are activities during or after which she often gets migraines, serve a potato or milk... and see if that helps.

Write me if I can ever be of any help.

Good luck. (I know they are dreadful!)

Clar

Answer 2

I have a 13 year old that gets migraines...2 ideas...as a dental tech and knowledge in that field, have your dentist check your child's bite. If the occlusion is off and the bite not right, it could cause migraines.

#2:my son's story...sphenoid sinus infection. best detected by CT scan. Our son went thru a week long migraine, it finally went away, and then came back for several more days. At first we thought it was stress, new middle school, etc. But this went on for a good part of the winter. Finally went to the ER because we became concerned when his vision became blurred and he absolutely could not get off the couch without doubling over...a CT scan showed a sphenoid sinus infection (the sinuses way up behind the eyes). He did 10 days of anitbiotics and then a month on a low dose antibiotic to stay off the infection and the migraines went away. He gets them about once a season now and we go right for the antibiotics...thank God!

Give it a shot if that sounds familiar to your problem...

Answer 3

I started drinking 4 ounces of Goji Juice everyday and have not had a migraine since i started. i have had them since i was 12. This juice is from the Himalayan Goji berry and is safe for children. It tastes great and a child would need 1-2 ounces a day. Four different times I woke up starting to get a migraine and I drank my juice...never went into a migraine and pain went away in 15 min. You can find it on www.4healthfreedom.com and more info on www.gojibook.com. IT REALLY HELPS MIGRAINES AND DEPRESSION IN CHILDREN. My good friend is a pediatrician and he advocates it for childhood migraines, diabetes, depression etc.It is sooo worth a try...an 11 yearold could take 3 ounces at beginning of pain and other days 1-2 ounces for prevention. Extra magnesium os also important and going off all dairy can be helpful to some people. Be Well

Answer 4

You need to go and get the girl some peppermint oil. What it is - is natural 100% peppermint oil usually in a dark small glass jar. You can find it in any natural health food store or call your local spa and see if they have any. It's GREAT for migraines I treat all my clients with peppermint oil along with a massage. The massage is focused on the scalp, neck, face, shoulders and upper back. She needs to increase her water intake also. She should be drinking half of her body weight in ounces! and take your girl to a professional massage therapist that has migraine experience and get her a 30 minute massage treatment. And take her to the dentisit to see if she's grinding or clinching her teeth at night which can cause TMJ and Migraines for SURE! So if she is doing that her dentisit will give her a mouth guard. Even though it is hereditary you can still find a solution without putting a child on MEDICATION YUK! I hope this helps you!! Oh one more thing there are reflexology points on your feet that corespond with your head and neck. So give or get your daughter a foot massage and spend time on the inside of the big toe! It's a great reflexology point!

Answer 5

I began having horrible migraines in the 4th grade (9 yrs old). I would go home and throw-up; my mom would always lay me down and give me an ice pack for my head. After some sleep, they would go away.

It could have to do with menustration. If she has not started, it could be a sign that it is soon (as in within the next 2 years) to begin.

Just out of curiosity: Did the doctor say that she was too young for prescriptions?

Melissa

Answer 6

Try chiropractic. I suffered from migraines from the age of 11 until I was about 23. Once I began chiro treatment, the migraines diminished. I am now 36 and haven't had a migraine in years.

Answer 7

My 13 yr old got lots of migraines...she started wearing glasses which has helped alot. Another remedy is ice on the base of the skull. Excedrine migraine also worked well for her..I also figured out that some of her problem was that she was having some social problems at school, and the stress was also hurting her. Hope some of these suggestions help.

Answer 8

I had a similar problem as a kid. Obviously you've taken her to a doctor which is what I did as well. I would lay down in a room and have the windows and shades covered up with multiple towels and blankets. I would lay down however I could, and honestly once I threw up, I could like lay down and take a nap. It took me a couple years to out grow it. At one point in time, I did have reading glasses. Apparently as children are developing, the eyes can change in growth spurt times. Maybe that would be a consideration.
In terms of the headache though, I stayed away from light, sound, and smells. Smells were the worst. If she is a normal pop/soda drinker, I would say let her sip on some because even though people say that hurts, for me it always helped some, even if was to help let me throw up a little quicker. If she isn't don't introduce that, but still just so you know that did help me.
I would like it if my mom would rub my feet and my head. Lightly and not hard, but gently or rub my back. If she likes touch, that might help.
The one thing my parents always let me sort of do what I felt comfortable doing. Sometimes that meant taking a shower for a while, sometimes I would lay down and have my mom rub my back... whatever they could do to help they did even if I just wanted to be alone.
Keep checking at the drs office in particular if the migranes keep coming back. It is hard, I know, from experience, but hopefully it will pass but keep on it just in case.
Good luck, let her tell you what she wants, what might help, try different things, try ice on her neck in a towel, try a dark room, try anything that might help. Keep at it and hopefully something will work.

Answer 9

Try FEVERFEW!!! it's an herbal supplement that rescued me 10years ago...I was having them twice a month, & had jsut had a baby...couldn't crawl under the covers for a day or so to get rid of it anymore...so the hospital gave me Imitres...and promptly discovered I'm allergic to that....so talking to a friend, she told me about it & I started taking 1 capsule every day for the next 2 months...didn't have a single headache! Then it was almost 6 months before I got a vision disturbance (here it comes...) so I took another capsule & it went away, without ever exploding into a headache. Like I said, it's been over 10 years, & I've only had 1 mingrane since then, when I was out of town without my supply of feverfew.

Answer 10

Well yes most medications could be very risky at her age, however Lidocaine has been shown to help migraine headaches in many individuals. the great thing with lidocaine is that it does not have allot of the risks on most migraine medications.

It has been used in children and adults, I would ask your doctor about this treatment.