What is Abdominal Migraine
Abdominal migraine is a type of abdominal pain that occurs mainly in children. The pain usually occurs in the middle of the abdomen, near the belly button. The pain occurs in attacks that usually last at least 1 hour and may last up to 72 hours.
Abdominal migraines are related to the type of migraine that causes headaches in adults. Most children who have abdominal migraine eventually outgrow the attacks of abdominal pain. In rare cases, these attacks can last into adulthood. Children with abdominal migraine often develop migraine headaches as adults.
What are the causes?
The cause of abdominal migraine is not known. Possible causes include:
- Stress.
- Eating certain foods.
- A type of allergic reaction in the digestive system.
What increases the risk?
Risk factors for abdominal migraine include:
- Being 5–9 years of age.
- Having a family history of migraine.
- Being female.
What are the signs or symptoms?
The main symptom of abdominal migraine is having attacks of abdominal pain that come and go. Between attacks, there are no symptoms. The pain is usually severe enough to prevent normal activities. Other symptoms may include:
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Paleness (pallor).
- Flushing.
- Sensitivity to bright light (photophobia).
How is this diagnosed?
Your child’s health care provider can diagnose this condition based on certain signs and symptoms. These include:
- Having had at least five attacks.
- Having had attacks that last from 1 to 72 hours.
- Having had attacks that involve moderate to severe pain in the middle area of the abdomen.
- Having had abdominal pain that occurs along with at least two other symptoms.
- Having had attacks for which your child’s health care provider can find no other cause.
Your child’s health care provider may also perform a physical exam. Other tests may be done to check for other causes of abdominal pain, including:
- Blood tests.
- Urine tests.
- Stool tests.
- Imaging studies.
- A procedure to examine the digestive tract with a flexible telescope (endoscopyorcolonoscopy).
How is this treated?
Treatment for abdominal migraine may include lifestyle changes and medicines.
- Mild
and infrequent attacks can be treated with:
- Over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Rest in a quiet and dark room.
- A bland or liquid diet until the attack passes.
- Frequent
or severe attacks may be treated with migraine medicines. These may
include:
- Medicines to stop a migraine attack (triptans).
- Medicines to prevent an attack. These may include some types of antidepressants and beta blockers.
- Medicines to relieve nausea and vomiting and reduce stomach acid.
- If nausea and vomiting result in dehydration, a severe attack may need to be treated in the hospital with fluids given through an IV tube and medicines.
Follow these instructions at home:
- Give medicines only as directed by your child’s health care provider.
- Find ways to reduce stress for your child.
- Keep a regular schedule for meals and sleep.
- Keep a food diary to find out what foods might trigger your child’s migraine attacks.
- Avoid
feeding your child foods that commonly trigger migraines. These include:
- Caffeine.
- Chocolate.
- Cheese.
- Citrus.
- Foods that contain artificial coloring.
- Food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG).
- To help prevent morning attacks, give your child a fiber supplement or a small snack shortly before bedtime or as directed by your child’s health care provider.
- Avoid situations that can cause motion sickness.
- Avoid very bright light or glare.
Contact a health care provider if:
- Your child’s abdominal migraine attacks get worse or happen more often.
- Medicines given for abdominal migraine are not working or are causing side effects.
- Your child’s vomiting is severe and persistent.
- Your
child develops symptoms of dehydration. Watch for:
- Dry mouth.
- Extreme thirst.
- Dry skin.
- Decreased output of urine.
- Severe fatigue.
- Your child’s abdominal pain occurs with fever, diarrhea, bloody stool, or pain in a different location than usual.
