Headaches in Children

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Headaches are one of the most common health concerns in kids. Research shows up to 60% of children and teens globally experience them. Frequent headaches can affect school, sleep, activities, and time with family and friends. If your child has been dealing with frequent headaches or migraines, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Our team at Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute includes physicians with specialized training in pediatric headache medicine. We understand that headaches in children can look and feel different than headaches in adults, and that every child needs a plan built around their specific needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Treatments may include medication, lifestyle guidance and other approaches based on your child’s condition and needs. For children with more complex or hard-to-treat headache symptoms, we also offer migraine treatment options, such as Botox and acupuncture, when medication alone isn’t providing enough relief.

Our goal is simple: help your child feel better so they can get back to being a kid — learning, playing, participating in activities and enjoying everyday life.

Types of Headaches We Treat

Headaches in children can vary in their symptoms, frequency and severity.

Our pediatric headache specialists care for children with a range of headache conditions, including:

  • Cluster headaches
  • Chronic, daily headaches
  • Migraine headaches
  • Tension headaches

When to Seek Care for Your Child’s Headaches

Even though most headaches in children aren’t a sign of serious conditions, it’s important to understand the warning signs that mean your child needs to receive prompt medical care.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if your child has a headache along with:

  • Sudden, severe pain that comes on within seconds
  • Weakness in the arms or legs, or drooping on one side of the face
  • Trouble walking, talking or keeping their balance
  • Vomiting or passing out after a fall, sports injury or crash

Call your child’s healthcare provider right away if your child has a headache that:

  • Wakes them up at night or is worse first thing in the morning, especially with vomiting
  • Is accompanied by fever and a stiff neck

When in doubt about headaches in children, it’s always OK to call your child’s provider and ask.

Why Choose Norton Children’s for Your Child’s Headache Care

  • Our team includes dedicated pediatric headache medicine specialists with specialized training and experience in caring for the most complex headaches that affect children.
  • You don’t have to travel to Louisville to get specialized pediatric migraine care. Offices in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, Owensboro, Paducah and Shepherdsville, Kentucky, mean pediatric neurologists are close to you. Telemedicine also is a convenient way to connect you and your child with headache and migraine care.
  • Neurology offices in downtown Louisville are equipped with in-office electroencephalography (EEG) capabilities and laboratory services in the same building, creating a streamlined, family-centered environment.
  • Norton Children’s accepts Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans. Financial assistance also is available.
  • Your free Norton MyChart account provides an option for secure communication with your child’s care team, test results, telemedicine options and other features to help manage your child’s care.