What Causes Severe Headaches And Nausea In A Child?
Question: Hello,
My 8 year old son went to the er on Fri night with a severe headache and nausea. On the Thursday before he also came home from school feeling dizzy and threw up. The doctor thought it was a migraine and gave him IV meds. They seemed to help and he w by home without a headache. Then Saturday morning he woke up with a headache again and he still has a headache today. His headache on fri, pre ER, was rated 10 by my son on a pain scale. Today he rates it as a 1 and it only seems to come when he moves his head quickly or coughs. The ER doc did do a quick neurological exam and said it was normal. Should I be concerned?!
My 8 year old son went to the er on Fri night with a severe headache and nausea. On the Thursday before he also came home from school feeling dizzy and threw up. The doctor thought it was a migraine and gave him IV meds. They seemed to help and he w by home without a headache. Then Saturday morning he woke up with a headache again and he still has a headache today. His headache on fri, pre ER, was rated 10 by my son on a pain scale. Today he rates it as a 1 and it only seems to come when he moves his head quickly or coughs. The ER doc did do a quick neurological exam and said it was normal. Should I be concerned?!
Brief Answer:
CT scan of brain advisable.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
The mentioned complaints could be due to migraine. However, any cause of rise in intracranial tension (pressure inside the head) can give rise to similar presentation. Since the ER doctor has not found anything abnormal with the neurological system there is perhaps less to worry about. Unless the headache is restricted to one side of the head, it may be advisable to get a CT scan of brain done. If the report comes normal you can rest assured that it is not something concerning.
Regards
CT scan of brain advisable.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
The mentioned complaints could be due to migraine. However, any cause of rise in intracranial tension (pressure inside the head) can give rise to similar presentation. Since the ER doctor has not found anything abnormal with the neurological system there is perhaps less to worry about. Unless the headache is restricted to one side of the head, it may be advisable to get a CT scan of brain done. If the report comes normal you can rest assured that it is not something concerning.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar