Expert advice: 'Don't dismiss children's headaches'
A consultant paediatrician explains that when it comes to diagnosing headaches in children, it's important to understand the language children use.
"Children suffer as much as adults with headaches," says consultant paediatrician Dr Ishaq Abu-Arafeh. "It is real pain and needs to be assessed."
Speaking to C+D in an exclusive podcast interview, Dr Abu-Arafeh said pharmacists have an important role to play in helping parents "manage" children's pain, but also in getting the relevant information out of a child, to ensure appropriate treatment.
"Children are very good at describing their symptoms. They might not use the same language as others but they just need someone to sit and listen to them," Dr Abu-Arafeh says.
Listen to this clinical podcast to find out more about:
- Speaking the same language as children when it comes to pain
- The "red flags" to look out for when diagnosing a child with a headache
- The common triggers of headaches in children
- Identifying the symptoms that would warrant referral to a GP.
This podcast was sponsored by Nurofen for Children. The content was created by a pharmacist on behalf of C+D and has been approved by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc.
How do you normally treat a child with headache?