Growing Kids the Natural Way – Headaches
By Christine Dennis RH, MNIMH, MSc(Herb.Med.)
Headaches in children are considered to be a common occurrence and when they do occur they are rarely the result
of a serious pathological condition. In more than 90% of cases, the cause of the headache can be identified with
physical examinations and a detailed case history.
Cause
The mechanisms that cause headaches can involve the neurological, vascular, muscular/skeletal, and/or endocrine
systems. Most headaches are caused from extracranial – outside of the skull, sources rather than intracranial
sources. Headaches may occur as a result of stimulus, friction, tension, or pressure on, any of the pain sensitive
structures of the head which includes the 5th, 9th and 10th cranial nerves, the upper cervical nerves, the large
intracranial venous sinuses, the large arteries at the base of the brain, the tissues covering the cranium, the large
dural arteries and the dura mater at the base of the skull. In children, ailments of the eyes, ears, nose, throat, and
teeth, muscular tension, fatigue, and fever are the most common acute causes.
The first task in determining the cause is to establish the specific location of the pain or discomfort. Other
identifying questions are: frequency, duration, severity and the type of pain associated with the headache.
Signs and Symptoms:
Some signs and symptoms may occur hours to a few days before some types of headaches or a migraine occurs. It
can be difficult to determine if a young child has a headache as they are too young to describe what they are feeling
and may just be very irritable.









Head banging
Irritability
Pallor
Light and/or noise sensitivity
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness
Stomachaches
Visual or sensory changes
Changes in coordination
Aggravating Factors:





Emotional stress or depression
Poor nutrition and hydration
Strenuous exercise
Fatigue
Illness
Relieving Factors:





Gentle head massages
Cool moist clothes applied to head
Dark room
Rest
Relaxing breathing techniques
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
Some Common Causes in Children or Adolescence:














Sensory overload – too loud of music, strong smells, too much television or computer use
Dehydration
Chronic or repetitive coughing
“Brain freezes” – from eating cold foods, often too quickly
Eye strain– child may require glasses and/or better lighting when reading
Substance withdrawal – diet changes such as reducing simple carbohydrates or sugar from diet or
eliminating caffeine from diet
Hormonal changes in girls
Food sensitivities – food colourings, preservatives as well as a particular food such as wheat
Blood sugar fluctuations –stress, skipped meals or poor diet can cause these
Constipation – build up of metabolic or other toxins can be very irritating and cause headaches
A hit to or jarring of the head
Allergies
Common cold and other viruses
Fevers
Some Less Common Causes in Children or Adolescence:




Concussion - from a hit to the head or serous jarring of head. Note: close observations are necessary for
first 24 hours
Sinusitis or dental problems – pain in face and jaw, runny nose, tired and/or irritable
Tension headaches – dull, non throbbing pain that feels like a tight band around the head.
Migraines - throbbing pain usually on one side of the head but can be symmetrical, nausea and/or vomiting,
visual or sensory aura; noise and/or light sensitivity; sleep often relieves; may be a family history of
migraines
Rare Causes in Children or Adolescence:



High blood pressure – the underlying cause must to determined
Meningitis – fever, headache, neck pain, sleepy, irritable
Tumour – severe headache, with increased frequency, worse when lying down or upon wakening, clumsy
or walking oddly, vomiting, headache wakes child up in night and other possible neurological symptoms
Note : Meningitis and tumours are serious conditions; if one suspects either, immediate medical attention is
needed.
S
e
e
k
h
e
l
p
w
h
e
n
h
e
a
d
a
c
h
e
s
a
r
e
a
s
s
o
c
i
a
t
e
d
w
i
t
h
:
 S
e
v
e
r
e
a
n
d
s
u
d
d
e
n
o
n
s
e
t
;
 C
o
n
f
u
s
i
o
n
o
r
l
o
s
s
o
f
c
o
n
s
c
i
o
u
s
n
e
s
s
;
 B
l
o
w
t
o
t
h
e
h
e
a
d
;
 T
i
n
g
l
i
n
g
s
e
n
s
a
t
i
o
n
s
;
 L
a
s
t
i
n
g
l
o
n
g
e
r
t
h
a
n
3
d
a
y
s
;
 U
n
u
s
u
a
l
d
r
o
s
s
i
n
e
s
s
a
n
d
i
r
r
i
t
a
b
i
l
i
t
y
;
 T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
o
v
e
r
3
9
d
e
g
r
e
e
s
C
;
 L
o
s
s
o
f
c
o
o
r
d
i
n
a
t
i
o
n
a
n
d
m
u
s
c
l
e
w
e
a
k
n
e
s
s
;
 R
e
p
e
a
t
a
w
a
k
e
n
i
n
g
w
i
t
h
a
h
e
a
d
a
c
h
e
a
n
d
n
o
o
t
h
e
r
s
i
g
n
s
o
f
i
l
l
n
e
s
s
;
 U
n
w
i
l
l
i
n
g
n
e
s
s
t
o
b
e
n
d
h
e
a
d
f
o
r
w
a
r
d
a
n
d
/
o
r
 V
o
m
i
t
i
n
g
w
i
t
h
o
u
t
d
i
a
r
r
h
o
e
a
.
TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Dietary Recommendations:



High mineral diet – variety in diet is key
Magnesium rich foods – green vegetables and whole grains – helps to relax muscle tension
B complex rich foods – whole grains, nutritional and brewer’s yeast, bee pollen; helps to sooth and calm the
nervous system



Essential fatty acids – flax seed oil, fish oils; these are the anti-inflammatory fats
Bioflavonoid rich foods – buckwheat, bright coloured fruit and vegetables such as berries and peppers;
these helps to restore and maintain good blood vessel integrity
Black or green tea - caffeine can help to constrict the blood vessel if the headache is due to excess
vasodilatation from fatigue and low vitality
Herbal Recommendations:






E
x
a
m
p
l
e
–
N
e
r
v
i
n
e
T
i
n
c
t
u
r
e
C
h
a
m
o
Nutritive herbs – alfalfa (Medicago sativa), nettles (Urtica dioica), oat straw (Avena sativa), chickweed
(Stellaria media) and dandelion leaf (Taraxacum off.)
Gentle herbal nervines – agrimony (Agrimonia spp.), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), catnip (Nepeta
cataria), lavender (Lavandula off.) or lemon balm (Melissa off.)
Stronger herbal nervines – wild lettuce (Lactuca spp.), hops (Humulus lupulus) or valerian (Valeriana off.),
Nerve tonics – skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), rosemary (Rosmarinus off.), wild thyme (Thymus
serpyllum), milky oats (Avena sativa), st.john’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), wood betony (Stachys
betonica) and vervain (Verbena off.)
Vasodilators – chamomile (Matricaria recutita), yarrow (Achillea millifolium), feverfew (Tanacetum
parthenium), wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum), wood betony (Stachys betonica), or valerian (Valeriana off.)
Vasoconstrictors – cola nut (Cola nitida), green tea
m
i
l
e
2
5
m
l
s
V
a
l
e
r
i
a
n
2
5
m
l
s
W
i
l
d
t
h
y
m
e
2
5
m
l
s
C
a
t
n
i
p
2
0
m
l
s
C
i
n
n
a
m
o
n
5
m
l
s
T
a
k
e
1
t
o
5
m
l
s
o
f
t
i
n
c
t
u
r
e
3
t
o
5
t
i
m
e
s
p
e
r
d
a
y
i
n
a
l
i
t
t
l
e
w
a
r
m
w
a
t
e
r
.
Other Recommendations:


Diet and lifestyle diary – this may be necessary to help determine the underlying cause of a headache
Epsom salt bath – high in magnesium to help reduce muscle tension
Prevention of Headaches:




Eating regularly and having a healthy diet
Daily adequate sleep
Good hydration
Plenty of downtime and stress free activities
Is it Meningitis or just a Headache?
Here are a few tips to help decide if it might be meningitis: If in doubt, consult medical help
immediately:




Stiff and sore neck with an unwillingness to bend head forward;
Temperature over 39 degrees C;
Overly sleepy and
Sensitive to light.
Signs that it is likely just a headache:
 History of headaches;
 Child is not acting sick overall;
 Headache comes and goes;
 Not associated with a virus or fever.
Bibliography:
Barness. Manual of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis. 4th ed. Year Book Medical Publishers.
Bates, B. Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. Lippincott Co. Philadelphia. 1995.
Bove, M., An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants. 2nd ed. McGraw Hill, Toronto, 2001.
De Bairacli Levy, J. Nature’s Children. 2nd ed. Ash Tree Publishing, NY, 1997.
Gladstar, R. Herbal Remedies for Children’s Health. Storey Publishing, 1999.
McIntyre, A. Herbal Treatment of Children – Western and Ayurvedic Perspectives. Elsevier, 2005.
Merck Manual. 16th ed. Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, NJ. 1992.
Nguyen, D. & Larbrisseau, A. Headaches in Children. Canadian Journal of Diagnosis, Dec. 1997.
Romm, A. Naturally Healthy Babies and Children. Storey Books, Vermont. 2000.
Schiff, D. & Shelov, S. Guide to Your Child’s Symptoms. Villard, NY. 1997.
Scott, J & Barlow, T. Herbs in the Treatment of Children. Churchill-Livingston, 2003
Scott, J. Natural Medicine for Children. Avon Books, NY. 1990.
Zand, J., Walton, R. & Rountree, B. Smart Medicine For a Healthier Child. Avery Publishing Group, NY. 1994.