A child's headache can occur for several reasons:

• Illness and infections. Colds, flu, ear, and sinus infections are some of the most common causes of headaches in children. Meningitis and encephalitis are less common causes of headaches.
• Head injury. Head injuries can result in headaches for some time afterward. Although most head injuries are minor, if your child falls or receives a hard blow to the head, seek medical attention right away. Consult a doctor if your child's headache persists following a head injury.
• Emotional factors. Stress and anxiety, which may be caused by problems with peers, teachers, or parents, can contribute to children's headaches. Children with depression may experience headaches, especially if they struggle to recognize feelings of sadness and loneliness.
• Genetic predisposition. Headaches, particularly migraines, are often inherited.
• Certain foods and beverages. Nitrates, a food preservative found in smoked meats like bacon, sausage, and hot dogs, as well as the food additive MSG, can both cause headaches. Furthermore, excessive caffeine consumption in soda, chocolate, and sports drinks can result in headaches.
• Cognitive issues. A brain tumor, abscess, or bleeding in the brain can occasionally put pressure on specific areas of the brain, resulting in chronic, worsening headaches. Other symptoms, such as vision problems, dizziness, and poor coordination, are common in these cases.

Any child can develop headaches, but they're more common in:

• Girls after they reach puberty
• Children who have a family history of headaches or migraines
• Older teens

Children get the same types of headaches adults do, but their symptoms may be a little different. For example, migraine pain in adults often lasts at least four hours — but in children, the pain may not last as long.

Differences in symptoms may make it difficult to pinpoint headache type in a child, especially in a younger child who can't describe symptoms. In general, though, certain symptoms tend to fall more frequently into certain categories.

Migraine
Migraines can cause:

• Pulsating or throbbing head pain
• Pain that worsens with activity
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Extreme sensitivity to light and sound
• Even infants can have migraines. A child who's too young to tell you what's wrong may cry or rock back and forth to indicate severe pain.

Tension-type headache
Tension-type headaches can cause:

• A pressing tightness in the muscles of the head or neck
• Mild to moderate, nonpulsating pain on both sides of the head
• Pain that's not worsened by physical activity
• Headache that's not accompanied by nausea or vomiting, as is often the case with migraine
• Younger children may withdraw from regular play and want to sleep more. Tension-type headaches can last from 30 minutes to several days.

Cluster headache
Cluster headaches are uncommon in children under 10 years of age. They usually:

• Occur in groups of five or more episodes, ranging from one headache every other day to eight a day
• Involve sharp, stabbing pain on one side of the head that lasts less than three hours
• Are accompanied by teariness, congestion, runny nose, or restlessness or agitation

Chronic daily headache
Doctors use the phrase "chronic daily headache" (CDH) for migraines and tension-type headaches that occur more than 15 days a month. chronic daily headache (CDH) may be caused by an infection, minor head injury or taking pain medications — even nonprescription pain medications — too often

Most headaches are not serious, however seek immediate medical attention if your child's headaches:

• Awaken your child from slumber.
• Worsen or increase in frequency
• Change your child's personality.
• Following an injury, such as a hit to the head, symptoms may include recurrent vomiting and visual abnormalities.
• Symptoms include fever and neck discomfort or stiffness.

A child's headache may usually be treated at home with rest, noise reduction, plenty of water, a healthy diet, and over-the-counter pain medicines. If your child is older and has frequent headaches, they may benefit from learning to relax and manage stress through various types of treatment.

Medications
Acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen can usually ease a child's headache and should be taken as soon as the headache begins.

Children and adolescents recuperating from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should not take aspirin. Aspirin has been related to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal illness in these children. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor.

Triptans, prescription drugs used to treat migraines, are effective and safe for children over the age of 6.

If your child's migraines cause nausea and vomiting, your doctor may give anti-nausea medicine. However, therapy strategies vary from child to child.

Excessive drug use might cause headaches (abusive headache). Painkillers and other drugs may lose effectiveness with time. In addition, every drug has side effects. If your kid takes medications on a regular basis, including over-the-counter medications, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This therapy can teach your child how to deal with stress and minimize the frequency and severity of headaches. During this sort of therapy, the doctor teaches the youngster how to perceive and cope positively with life experiences.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is another therapy used to prevent migraine attacks in youngsters.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive treatment that may prevent or alleviate severe migraine symptoms.

A 2017 Trusted Source assessment of studies found that TMS is an effective and safe treatment for migraines, particularly chronic migraines. It can be a viable alternative to prescription medicines and other treatments, particularly when other methods have failed to lessen the frequency or intensity of migraine attacks.

Additionally, migraines can be treated with Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, are usually effective in reducing headaches. Keep the following points in mind before giving your child pain medication:

• Read labels carefully and use only the doses recommended for your child.
• Do not give doses more often than recommended.
• Do not give your child over-the-counter pain medications more than two to three days a week. Daily use may cause a medication-associated (abusive) headache, a type of headache caused by excessive use of pain medications.

Children and adolescents recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin causes Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition in these children. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

In addition to over-the-counter pain relievers, you can help relieve your child's headache in the following ways:

• Rest and relaxation. Encourage your child to rest in a dark, quiet room. Sleep often relieves headaches in children.
• Use a cool, moist compress. While your child is resting, place a cool, damp cloth on his or her forehead.
• Offer a healthy snack. If the child hasn't eaten in a while, offer a piece of fruit, whole grain crackers, or low-fat cottage cheese. Lack of food can make headaches worse