9 yr old with chronic headaches, etc - what am I looking at? - Headaches & Migraines Message Board

ZoeGirl · 09-16-2008, 04:17 PM

My 9 yr old son has complained of headaches most of his life, but up until this past summer they were occasional. Still odd I think for a child, my other children rarely had headaches.

This summer they grew worse/daily and soon he was complaining of eye pain and then seeing orange from his right eye (this all happened within days of each other). I took him to our optician and then a pediatric ophthalmologist for a 2nd opinion. He has amblyopia (lazy eye); his right eye is farsighted and his left is OK. He has glasses now and I was told the headaches should stop. They have not and we are now scheduling a MRI - which while this is an easy test he will need an IV and it's breaking my heart to put him through this. I know it is a necessary next step.

What could be causing this in a 9 yr old? He also has a swollen lymph node in his neck, which he's had for a couple years (and yes I brought it up at ever visit with his PCP)... and now the PCP found one in his groin, which has been there at least since August. The PCP had initially treated him for allergies (in Aug) but his headaches continued and then he told me of the eye pain. The problem with my son is, he doesn't verbalize problems he has (rarely complains). It's mostly through body language that we know there is a problem although since all of this he is getting better at telling me when something hurts or seems wrong.

AnnD · 09-16-2008, 04:49 PM

Many children have migraines and are helped with the addition of Imitrex or one of the migraine meds. One of my doctors son had migraines starting at the age of 9. Hopefully this is what your son has which would mean a simple fix. good luck.

itburns2004 · 09-17-2008, 11:03 AM

sounds horrible and sad. I would take him to an allergist. It could be a food allergy.

ZoeGirl · 09-17-2008, 12:41 PM

At first they treated him for seasonal allergies, we hadn't thought of a food allergy but somehow doubt allergies would cause blurred vision in one eye. We are thinking (doctors and I) that the blurred vision and headaches are related. No one in either side of our family has ever had amblyopia, so his cause is unknown.

I wouldn't say these are migraines, they are not that severe, but they are constant. He wakes with them and goes to bed with them. He still functions OK so that's why I don't think they are too severe, just there.

His MRI is scheduled for next week. We're hoping it's something simply to fix, if nothing is found they move forward with a full neurological work up - whatever that is!

Thanks for the replies

dolysods · 09-18-2008, 06:20 PM

I have a coworker that her son had this.. They took him to many specialists. There was some type of small benign tumor.. I can't remember if it was pituitary or where. Are your son's migraines cyclical? she was able to predict the week, near day of when he would have one. She kept a very detailed journal of what he ate etc. He is finally growing out of them. Looking back, her nephews had something very similar (undiagnosed) and it passed with puberty.

I can try and find out more info if you like. You should get some answers with the MRI. Has he had any blood work done?