Abdominal migraines are intense episodes of abdominal pain. They are similar to migraine headaches and also related to a condition called cyclic vomiting syndrome. During an attack, a child’s pain might be so severe that they scream or shut down completely, lying in the fetal position due to the severe pain.
The episodes typically last two or more hours, followed by long periods without symptoms. During an episode, parents often bring their kids to the emergency room. In many cases, the true cause of the episode is not properly treated or identified.
Abdominal migraines usually follow a pattern of attacks. They may happen at the same time of day, show up in the same way or last the same amount of time.
In addition to intense belly pain that can last two or more hours, other symptoms could include:
- Nausea (often intense)
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Pale skin
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sensitivity to light and sound
About half of children with abdominal migraines also meet the criteria for cyclic vomiting syndrome.
Although the pain comes and goes, it is severely debilitating. Episodes can cause kids to miss a significant amount of school. They may even have unnecessary surgery if misdiagnosed.
If your child has episodes like this, the gastroenterologists at Children’s Wisconsin are here to help. We can correctly diagnose their disease and administer effective treatment.
The exact cause of abdominal migraines is unknown. Experts think the pain stems from a problem in the brain-gut pathway such as the autonomic nervous system. Certain things, like stress or excitement, might trigger an abdominal migraine.
Abdominal migraines are less common than migraine headaches. Abdominal migraines usually start at age 7 and peak from 9 to 11. As children become teenagers, their abdominal migraines are often replaced by migraine headaches.
Before diagnosing your child with abdominal migraines, our team will first want to rule out other potential causes of your child’s pain. This may mean our team will use an ultrasound or endoscopy to take a tissue sample.
