 Yes,
children can get headaches — some well before the age of
10. Before puberty (when hormones haven’t yet kicked in),
headaches are far more common in boys than girls. Never ignore
a child who comes to you complaining that "my head hurts."
Pain can be triggered by certain factors such as food. If your
child is prone to migraines or chronic headaches, here’s
a list of things you shouldn’t buy at the grocery
store.
- Processed meats: hot dogs, sausages and lunch meats
(bologna, salami)
- Caffeine products: cola drinks, caffeinated sodas
and coffee
- MSG (monosodium glutamate)-containing products:
frozen foods, canned meat, prepared sauces, bullion, certain
Chinese foods
- Old or aged cheeses
- Chocolate
- Nuts
- Figs
- Sauerkraut
- Aspartame
It may help to keep a "headache diary"
with your child to record events surrounding the headaches.
This way, you can figure out the root cause of the problem and
take action to prevent future head pain. See a doctor if your
child’s headaches worsen or become more frequent.
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