Abdominal Migraine in Children

Abdominal migraines can be termed as migraines of a different nature, which are characterized by a mild to severe recurrent abdominal pain, usually NOT accompanied by a headache. Though it is triggered by the same group of factors as that of typical migrianes, abdominal migraines mainly cause gastrointestinal problems like stomach ache, nausea, and vomiting. It is regarded as a variant of a migraine and mainly affects children in the age group of 5 to 9 years, with girls being more susceptible than boys. Adults are rarely affected by this disease. Abdominal migraine in children is most commonly found in children with a family history of migraines, especially if their mothers have migraines. It has also been revealed that such children become more prone to develop migraines in the later stages of their life.

Causes of Abdominal Migraine
Though the exact causes of abdominal migraine are not known, changes in the chemicals histamine and serotonin are thought to trigger an abdominal migraine attack. They are also the triggering factors for typical migraine headaches. What exactly brings about the changes in these two chemicals are not known, though some factors like stress, anxiety, extreme temperatures, continuous exposure to bright light for a long time, and certain foods such as chocolates, caffeine, cheese, processed meat, monosodium glutamate, and Chinese foods are regarded as stimulating factors.

Symptoms of Abdominal Migraine
Recurrent episodes of abdominal pain, mostly around the naval point or the upper abdomen can be regarded as the typical symptom of abdominal migraine. It can last from 1 to 72 hours and is often accompanied by other gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, and anorexia or loss of appetite. Children can also develop black shadows under their eyes. Other symptoms of abdominal migraine include pallor, yawning and drowsiness, light sensitivity and flushing.

Diagnosis and Treatment for Abdominal Migraine
There are no distinctive tests for diagnosing abdominal migraine. A detailed study of the symptoms as well as family medical history helps physicians in evaluating the condition. A case of abdominal pain, recurrent in nature and accompanied by other gastrointestinal problems, is the common observation in abdominal migraine patients. Presence of these symptoms usually alert the physicians in diagnosing an attack of abdominal migraine. In addition to these, electro encephalography (EEG) or brain wave scans can also help to make a proper diagnosis.

The standard medical practice is to treat abdominal migraine in the same way as other types of migraines. Generally, propranolol, a beta blocker is prescribed to treat or prevent migraine in children. Another commonly used medication is cyproheptadine, which is an anti-histamine that affects the level of serotonin. Though triptans are the most widely used drug for migraines, majority of them have not been tested to find out if it is safe to use them on children. Nasal sprays have also shown some success in treating abdominal migraine in children. On the other hand, medications like paracetamol and ibuprofen may be used for relieving abdominal pain. But an expert physician should always be consulted before administering any type of medication to your children.

For any type of migraine, including abdominal migraine in children, prevention is always the best treatment. For this, educate your child about abdominal migraines and help him or her to figure out the personal triggers. It is quite important to find out the personal triggers, as they can vary considerably from person to person. For some individuals eating particular food like chocolates or Chinese food can trigger abdominal migraine, while for others the stimulants can be psychological triggers like stress and anxiety. Also teach your children to closely monitor the details of the symptoms so that proper treatment and preventive steps can be taken, of course, in consultation with your physician.