Is It Normal To Have Headaches At The Age Of 6?

Posted on Wed, 24 Jul 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 24 Jul 2013 Answered on

Wed, 21 Aug 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Is it normal for my healthy 6 yr old son to be having such bad headaches he feels like getting sick? This sounds like a migraine to me... at 6 though? I have mentioned it to our family doctor when I had brought my son in for a different reason, he brushed my comment aside like it wasn't a big deal. I'm concerned he has at least 4 or 5 per month.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (28 minutes later)

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.
Your suspicion is absolutely correct. What your son is having is migraine. It is quite common for migraine to affect children of his age, referred to as pediatric or childhood migraine.

Since he is having frequent episodes of headaches, he may benefit from preventive migraine therapy. Effective drugs in children include divalproex, beta blockers, flunarizine and cyproheptadine. Using the medications would reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.

I hope it helps. Please get back if you have any more queries.

Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar Md DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar