Some of the different causes of headaches in children are negative emotional feelings, illness, and food ingredients. Children who are stressed, anxious, or depressed might complain about having a headache due to strong emotional feelings. Common illnesses like a cold or ear infection also have headaches as a symptom, so sometimes children complaining of a headache may need to see a doctor. In addition, certain common ingredients in food are known to cause headaches in people who are sensitive to them; these ingredients can be found in almost anything, including soda beverages, sauces, and candy. If other people in the family also suffer from regular headaches, the headaches might be a health problem that runs in the family.
Like adults, children can become stressed, anxious or depressed. These feelings can give them headaches or at least make them think they have a headache. Depression in particular is sometimes described as a headache by children. This is because young children often have difficult explaining or recognizing negative feelings. Finding the root cause of a child’s emotional distress can be hard, especially if he or she cannot yet describe loneliness, betrayal, or general sadness.
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Headaches in children are commonly caused by illness. For example, the common cold, influenza, and ear infections can cause a child to experience a subtle to mild headache. In the case of the common cold or flu, the symptoms are usually obvious. Congestion, cough, and fever are some things to look out for when a child complains of having a headache. Ear infections are a bit more complicated, but usually present with symptoms such as draining of the ear, fever, and trouble hearing or sleeping.
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Sometimes the ingredients in certain foods and beverages can cause headaches in children. For example, monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a food additive that is well known to cause headaches in children and adults alike. Excessive amounts of caffeine in soda beverages, chocolate, or other edibles might also give a child a headache. It is important for adults to pay close attention to what their children eat in order to recognize patterns and discover sensitivities and allergies.
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Migraines are a type of headache that is sometimes genetic. This means headaches in children can be caused by their parents having similar headaches. If the migraine is severe, a doctor might prescribe a medication to deal with the pain. In many cases, over-the-counter (OTC) medications are also effective at curing headaches in children.