The Premier Integrative Applied Neurology and Therapeutic Laser Center of Arizona

Managing Chronic Headaches in Children

Chronic headaches in children can be cause for alarm. We treat children with chronic headaches. We have multiple parents contact us about their children with chronic headaches:

Karen, who’s daughter has headaches said this,“My 10 year old daughter gets them pretty much every day, and this has been going on for six months. She missed a lot of school, and now is starting to get them again in the summer. The doctor ordered a CT scan which didn’t show anything. What can this be? Could it be sinuses?”

Headaches are common in children. They’re usually “primary” headaches — meaning they’re not caused by anything specific, and they’re not associated with any specific medical condition. They’re just headaches.

Kinds of “primary” headaches in children include:

brainstem and headacheMigraine.  Maybe the most common of the more-severe headaches. In children they’re often bilateral and fairly brief. Sometimes they’re accompanied by vomiting, or are worsened by lights or sound; often the best homemade “cure” is to rest with lights out and covers over the windows. Migraines often run in families. However, we find there can be slight abnormalities in areas of brain function called the Midbrain (depicted in red in the picture here)

Tension. These create a band-like, or squeezy feeling in the head, and aren’t usually severe. Yes, kids of all ages get tense. In our office these are the most common, and often are associated with abnormal neck movement. The eyes work very closely and have to coordinate with your neck, so when you have chronic neck issues, you usually have an eye tracking issue that we can correct in the office with a few simple exercises most of the time.

Chronic daily headache. This sounds like Karen’s daughter. They often occur on top of occasional more-severe headaches, like migraines.

Check out our YouTube Video on the Neurology of Headaches and Migraines!

The general principles of chronic daily headache:

  • Avoid daily Advil or Tylenol. If you use those more than 3 days a week, you will perpetuate the headaches. I know this sounds odd, but I promise it is true.
  • Try to maximize healthy lifestyle. Good regular sleep, diet, avoiding a lot of preservatives and chemicals, getting regular exercise. Again, I know this sounds odd, but it does help. Avoid gluten and dairy if necessary.
  • Try not to miss school. That inevitably makes headaches worse.
  • Consider Chiropractic/massage/yoga/relaxation therapy.
  • If there is an overlay of depression/anxiety/mood issues, deal with that. There is often a psychological component, either contributing to the headaches, or being caused by the headaches and missing school and activities. Food triggers often cause depression and mood issues.

Yet another headache myth to dispel: vision problems DO cause recurrent headaches in kids. Some people who are nearsighted will squint, and by the end of the day will develop tension-like pain from tightening up the muscles of their face and scalp.

Headaches in children are common, and most commonly are caused by a minor infection, dehydration, hunger, or stress. If they’re recurrent, they’re likely to be due to food sensitivities, GI issues, or slight dysfunction in the balance of brain function. One of the common primary headaches, like tension headaches or migraine or chronic daily headache. Headaches that are progressive (worsening), or associated with other prominent or worsening symptoms, need an urgent medical evaluation, but those are fortunately rare. More typically, headaches just need to be treated like, well, headaches.

And if you’re tired of hearing your child, spouse, friend or even yourself complain about headaches or migraines, give us a call and we can find out the cause, and start to decrease the frequency and intensity of your headaches, and eventually resolve them and teach you how to manage them on your own.

-Doc Teames
Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist

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Janine Crifasi, DC, CCST

Dr. Janine Crifasi, our newest team member at AZ Chiropractic Neurology, is originally from New York – which explains the accent. She attended Life Chiropractic College West and was the Centennial class’s Most Outstanding Graduate. She practiced in the Bay Area until moving closer to family to raise her son who is attending college.

Dr. Janine is committed to learning and educating people to change their awareness about their bodies’ potential and empowering them with unique methods of retraining their brains to maximize their quality of life through neuroplasticity. Her passion to help others puts her patients at ease and makes her a highly sought-after community speaker. Prior to coming to Chandler, she owned a center specializing in kids with learning disabilities and served as the northeast clinical director of a functional neurology practice, overseeing several functional neurology clinics. 

She has completed her post-doctoral clinical neuroscience studies in Functional Neurology through the Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies and has successfully completed the clinical exam and is now board eligible for the written portion. She is a Board Certified Doctor of Chiropractic for over 26 years. She has received additional extensive training in Spinal Trauma, and the Activator Method, and has a certification in Postural Neurology. 

In an effort to better serve her patients, Dr. Crifasi completed postdoctoral specialty training in blood chemistry, thyroid chemistry, brain chemistry, neuro-immune, and neuro-endocrine functional medicine. This knowledge of the brain-gut axis, and the mechanisms that impact our health, allow her to provide patients with easily implemented modifications enhancing improved lifestyle and nutraceutical recommendations as needed.