Children & Migraines: 5 Causes of Migraine Headaches in Children

Children are getting migraines at younger and younger ages.  Why?

One of my clients took her 6-year old granddaughter to the pediatrician.  The little girl gets migraine headaches that make her sick. This shouldn’t happen to a child!  It’s bad enough when an adult gets a migraine.

What did the doctor say?

He said, “We are seeing more and more children this young with migraines.  It’s because of all the chemicals in the food now.”

Here are possible causes for your child to have migraine headaches:

1.  Chemicals and other food additives. These are produced in chemistry labs for the purposes of either prolonging shelf-life or “enhancing the taste.”  If something “tastes good,” people will buy more and the chemical companies and food processing manufacturers will make more money.  Diet sweeteners are a big cause of migraines in adults; why not in children with their much smaller bodies?

I must tell you, I’m all in favor of successful businesses and making a profit, but NOT at the risk of our health!

2.  Magnesium deficiency. All of the vitamins and minerals we USED to get are necessary for our health and wellness.  Magnesium is a mineral that our bodies need for lots of functions.  Deficiency is a known cause of migraines.

Magnesium occurs naturally in halibut (a fish), spinach & dark green leafy veggies, nuts, seeds and whole grains.  White flour has very little magnesium left after processing.  More information is at National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

When you look at the Recommended Daily Allowance for children, remember that’s a number that prevents sickness.  It’s not a number that promotes health.  There is a difference.  The minimums are listed.  In the case of a deficiency, it may take a while to build up a sufficient amount of magnesium (or other nutrients) again.  It may take several months for the results to be noticed.

Another side of magnesium deficiency is that it can likely be caused by all of the food additives, pesticides, herbicides and other products of chemistry labs that are added to our processed”food.”

3.  Excessive computer usage. In children who use the television, computer or computer/handheld games a lot, and get little exercise to use all of their muscles, migraines may be caused by poor posture.  This causes muscle strain in the neck and base of the skull.  This would not be a common cause for a 6-year old in “the old days” before technology

4.  Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, is another cause of migraines.  This is normally seen after hormone changes that come with puberty occur.

5.  Dietary sensitivities can also cause migraines, but again, this is not something that USED to cause migraines in children.

What should a parent do?

1.  Do everything you can to alter your child’s diet (and your own.)  Eat healthy, and if possible, eat organic.  If you would spend 50 cents on a candy bar, why not for an apple?

2.  Get your child a good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.  Ask a knowledgeable clerk at a health food store.

3.  Talk to your doctor. Sometimes a headache is an indication of something serious.  Your doctor can determine a magnesium deficiency.  He or she can also determine whether it’s a condition that requires immediate treatment.

Even though I have given you lots of potential reasons for your child’s migraines, it’s important to find out why it’s happening and what to do to prevent future migraines.

Unless it’s diagnosed as something that requires immediate medical treatment, there are many natural, effective therapies including dietary changes, supplementation with magnesium, and possibly postural correction to get rid of your child’s migraine headaches.