Children get migraine headaches, too. Over 8 million children and adolescents have migraines which result in over 1 million lost school days each year. Before puberty, as many boys as girls get these headaches, but after puberty, migraine is more common in girls. Migraines often stop as children grow to adulthood, but may return in middle age. Physicians look for slightly different symptoms to diagnose migraine in children. In some cases, certain recurrent, or cyclical, medical conditions - such as vomiting, abdominal pain, or dizzy spells - are thought to be forms of juvenile migraine. Younger children usually feel migraine pain on both sides of the hea, while older children tend to feel it on one side only. Fortunately, attacks are usually shorter in children than adults. The most commonly related symptoms in children are

nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination, sweating, thirst, swelling, and tearing. Visual "auras" may not be as common in children as in adults.

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Often migraine headaches improve within a year even without treatment. As in adults, identifying and avoiding provoking factors or triggers may help. Your physicians may recommend maintaining a regular bedtime and meal schedule for your child, and avoiding an overload of activities. Non-drug treatments, such as biofeedback and relaxation techniques, are especially recommended for children and adolescents, who often are more enthusiastic about such approaches than adults.

If drug treatment is needed, your physician will start with simple analgesics. Combination analgesics used in adults are given at lower doses. Depending on the frequency, duration, and intensity of the headaches, and your child's response to simple analgesics, preventive drugs may also be included in the treatment plan. Many drugs used for adults may also be prescribed for children. The antihistamine drug, cyproheptadine, is often used. This drug is sold under the brand name Periactin and is taken in tablet or syrup form, usually every 8 to 12 hours, as needed. Possible side effects include drowsiness and weight gain.