Abdominal Migraine Treatment for Children

When children complain of stomach pain, you don't instantly think about migraines. However, in a tiny number of children severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, these symptoms are actually an indication they suffer from a form of migraine that often occurs in childhood, called an “abdominal migraine.” Abdominal migraine treatment for children must include ruling out other possible causes of severe digestive upset, and discovering what works well for the individual child.

Before talking about abdominal migraine treatment options, it’s important to understand precisely what children with abdominal migraines experience. The signs and symptoms are rarely present in adults, but children with this particular type of migraine frequently go onto have migraine headaches in their adult years. The most typical signs and symptoms of the condition are intense pain in the abdomen, accompanied by vomiting and nausea. Occasionally headache pain also occurs, usually localized behind the eyes. The child might also appear lethargic or missing energy.

Although the exact causes of abdominal migraine symptoms remain unknown, it’s useful to determine which triggers them in people. Your child might be getting these symptoms because of one of the same triggers that often causes migraines in adults, like certain meals, insomnia, prescription stimulants, or demanding situations. Since the disorder is much more common in girls and women, could also be a hormonal connection; however, more research with that connection is needed.

Regarding abdominal migraine treatment for children, traditional migraine medicines, like Inderal, are occasionally used to help prevent further episodes. To alleviate an abdominal migraine episode, the physician might recommend both NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, to alleviate the headache, in addition to anti-emetic drugs to manage vomiting and nausea. Interestingly, sleep frequently relieves the signs and symptoms. The issue is reducing the child’s cyclic vomiting, headache, and anxiety enough that they can fall asleep.

A recent development in abdominal migraine treatment has been the recognition that the pain of migraines (and possibly abdominal migraines) is triggered by irregular electrical activity within the brain. Biofeedback therapy is becoming increasingly recognized for its potential to reduce the regularity and concentration of abdominal migraine signs and symptoms. Through electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback, the individual is trained to create brainwave activity back to normal rhythm.

Although the reason for these painful signs and symptoms isn't fully known, abdominal migraine treatment may take several forms. It often includes preventive medication, medication for relief of pain and other GI symptoms, or biofeedback therapy. A combination of these treatment types is often the best approach to abdominal migraine treatment in children.

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