Introduction

If you're a child or teenager who gets migraines, you'll know how bad these headaches are and how much they can affect your life. If you're a parent of a child who gets migraines, you'll have seen how upsetting an attack can be. Fortunately, there are treatments you can try. And simple things, like reducing stress, may help you have fewer migraines.

We've brought together the best research about migraine headaches in children and teenagers, and weighed up the evidence about how to treat them. You can use our information to talk to your doctor and decide which treatments are best for you.

Migraines are very bad headaches. You might also feel sick, see flashing lights, and not be able to do anything. In fact, having a migraine might mean you don't want to do anything except lie down in your room.

But even though migraines can be distressing, they're not dangerous. They don't mean you or your child have a more serious problem. And you can get back to normal afterwards.

We don't know why some children and young people get migraines. But there are some things that seem to bring a migraine on. Here are some of them.^[1][2][3]

• Feeling stressed: this could be because of an exam at school or problems with friends.

• Exercise or sport: these seem to bring on a migraine in some children and teenagers, but not others.

• Certain foods: some people find that eating a particular thing can trigger a migraine. Or missing a meal could bring on a migraine.

• Your period: some girls find that their period can bring on a migraine, or that they get migraines at a certain time during their monthly cycle.

• The contraceptive pill: some girls find that taking the pill can bring on migraines.

Remember, though, that the things that trigger a migraine are different for everyone. So if you like playing sport, don't stop just because it might bring on a migraine for someone else. Wait and see which things bring on a migraine for you. If you're a parent, encourage your child to keep on doing things he or she enjoys and not to stop because this activity triggers a migraine in someone else.

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