Hi there. My dd (11) has been suffering from migraines for (we think) about 2 years now. Every so often she'll wake up with stomach ache & feeling sick, then a little while later develops a headache. We wondered what was wrong with her 'cos it was happening every couple of months... her GP diagnosed migraines about a year ago. They usually last a day but the last one she had lasted 5 days! We were worried sick! She's got another one today - 31 days after the last. I'm just praying it doesn't last as long! I don't know what's causing them (although we think the stress of starting secondery school might have triggered that last one) but I wondered whether it might be hormonal (although she hasn't started her periods yet).

we've been to the GP today and she thought it sounded like abdominal migraine so we're being referred to a paediatrician. At the moment he's getting ill with it once a week so i want someone to see him and see if it can be treated.

DS2 was diagnosed with this a few years ago.  He was in and out of hospital (always during the winter months) with severe sickness and always ended up on a drip as he was so dehydrated.  I kept saying to them that there was something wrong, but they wouldn't listen.  It wasn't until one month he was in 3 times that they started to listen to me.  He was sent for various tests and they eventually diagnosed Abdominal Migraine, hiatus hernia and cyclical vomiting.  They put him on medicine that he was to take as soon as the pain started, this very rarely worked.  So I asked for food intolerance testing, which they said wasn't necessary!

I took him to our local health food shop that was holding a food intolerance testing day.  They said he should avoid yeast (apparently the dampness in the air in the winter reacts against the yeast in the stomach, causing the pain) he also had to avoid dairy products and only had soya milk, etc.

We decided to give it a go, against the Consultants wishes, and it worked a treat!  The difference in him within a month was amazing!  He very rarely had pain, if he was sick he didn't end up in hospital on a drip and he started to put on weight and looked so much healthier!

I don't know if this would work for your LO, but I would recommend food intolerance testing to see what may be triggering the episodes.

Good Luck

xxxxxxx

I'm so sorry to here that your DD has abdominal, or as I knew them, Stomach migraines, I suffered these from a tiny age with vomitting, fever, aches, pains, weakness, every couple of weeks but I was fine in between. The doctors wouldn't listen to my mum but when I was around 11 the pain was getting so bad and I was so weak that they thought it was growing pains, then they were thinking coeliac, possibly had IBS, then that I had appendicitis (so they took my appendix out!!).  I had endoscopies, barium meals, went to the pain clinic everything under the sun only for my mum to be told that it was all in my head.  As I had suffered since I was a baby, she knew better, so on the recommendation of our family GP we went to a naturopath (I grew up in austalia, but I believe that there are naturopaths here) when I was 12.  They are sort of natural, alternative therapy physicians, or as I called him "the hippy doc"

The naturopath decided that my diet was playing a role in my problems (I had what would be considered a healthy diet, but that there was something upsetting the "balance" as such), that as I being physically ill all the time that the acid balance in my stomach was also off and made digestion even harder and could explain my cramps). 

I was put on a diet of elimination which lasted a long time. We started with pretty much no food and then the idea was to gradually and slowly (the theory being it takes a while for certain foods to build up in your system which may cause an attack) introduce other foods to see what was the trigger.  I was at the same time taking tablet supplements - my GP was fully aware.

Months later, I got a bad attack right after introducing wheat.  I was gutted but thought, "well, at least I can go back to eating other things again", but my "hippy doc" didn't think it was the only thing so we kept going adding more things and it was discovered after I was getting severe attacks again that dairy was doing it too. My naturopath explain that I didn't have to totally exclude wheat and dairy from my diet, but to only eat it every now and then on special occasions.

As I got older I was pain free but 5 years ago and out of the blue I started getting head migraines that were regular & severe to say the least. It was affecting my job & my GP referred me to a neurologist (in the UK as I now live here) to rule out anything "sinister". He discovered it wasn't neurological but he checked my back & hit two points on my spine that made me actually yelp in pain.  I'd always thought I had a strong back with no problems.  He said most migraines are either back or teeth related so I spoke to my mum and she said that I had hip "problems" that had been corrected when I was a newborn.  He also said it was possible that my back could have caused my stomach migraines (contrary to everthing I have read!).  I was now very confused.  Were the attacks just a coincidence after introducing the wheat and dairy?  The neurologist said that it was very possible that I had a food intolerances that may not have helped my stomach but as I'd started playing lots of sport at the time I was seeing the naturopath ,this would have helped my back.

I now feel that stomach migraines just happen to some kids & are not necessarily caused by diet or back problems but that they can maybe help with the symptoms until they grow out of it (this seems fairly conclusive).  Stomach migraines now seem to be taken seriously by GP's and not dismissed easily and they can give medication for the nausea which can help stop the vomitting from starting.

Good luck and I hope I haven't added to the confusion (although I think I may have!) Sorry! L

I'm so sorry to here that your DD has abdominal, or as I knew them, Stomach migraines, I suffered these from a tiny age with vomitting, fever, aches, pains, weakness, every couple of weeks but I was fine in between.  My mum was at a loss as no one knew what it was but I would regularly be ill and am still to this day because of it known as the "porcelain bus driver" or "chucker" in my family - charming I know!   The doctors wouldn't listen to my mum. When I was around 11 the pain was getting so bad that they thought it was growing pains (at one point I was in so much pain & so weak my dad was having to carry me to the bath), then I was coeliac, possibly had IBS, then that I had appendicitis (so they took my appendix out!!).  I had endoscopies, barium meals, went to the pain clinic everything under the sun only for my mum to be told that it was all in my head.  As I had suffered since I was a baby, she knew better, so on the recommendation of our family GP - who was brilliant but couldn't get help from any "specialists" we went to a naturopath (I grew up in austalia, but I believe that there are naturopaths here) when I was 12.  They are sort of natural, alternative therapy physicians, or as I called him "the hippy doc"

The naturopath decided that my diet was playing a role in my problems (I had what would be considered a healthy diet, but that there was something upsetting the "balance" as such), that as I being physically ill all the time that the acid balance in my stomach was also off and made digestion even harder and could explain my cramps). 

I was put on a diet of elimination which lasted a long time. We started with pretty much no food and then the idea was to gradually and slowly (the theory being it takes a while for certain foods to build up in your system which may cause an attack) introduce other foods to see what was the trigger.  I was at the same time taking tablet supplements - my GP was fully aware.

I became miserable as I couldn't eat what every body else was & didn't think we were getting anywhere as I would still get ill (but less than before). Months later, I got a bad attack right after introducing wheat.  I was gutted but thought, "well, at least I can go back to eating other things again", but my "hippy doc" didn't think it was the only thing so we kept going adding more things and it was discovered after I was getting severe attacks again that dairy was doing it too. My naturopath explain that I didn't have to totally exclude wheat and dairy from my diet, but to only eat it every now and then on special occasions.

As I got older I was pain free but 5 years ago and out of the blue I started getting head migraines that were regular & severe to say the least. It was affecting my job & my GP referred me to a neurologist (in the UK as I now live here) to rule out anything "sinister". He discovered it wasn't neurological but he checked my back & hit two points on my spine that made me actually yelp in pain.  I'd always thought I had a strong back with no problems.  The neurologist said that most migraines and headaches are either back or teeth related so I spoke to my mum and she said that I had hip "problems" that had been corrected when I was a newborn.  He also said it was possible that my back could have caused my stomach migraines (contrary to everthing I have read!).  I was now very confused.  Were the attacks just a coincidence after introducing the wheat and dairy?  The neurologist said that it was very possible that I had a food intolerances that may not have helped my stomach but had I started regualary exercising when I was seeing the naturopath as this would have helped my back.  I struggled to remember but realised that I was playing competition netball, cricket and running

Hi Sam

I’m so sorry to here that your DD has abdominal, or as I knew them, stomach migraines, I too was a sufferer of these from a tiny age.  This post will go on forever, but I thought I would tell you my story to see if it in any way can help you and more importantly, your daughter.

My mum was at a loss as no one knew what it was but I would regularly be ill and am still to this day because of it known as the "porcelain bus driver" or "chucker" in my family - charming I know! 

It took years for me to be diagnosed as the doctors wouldn’t listen to my mum and when I was around 10 the pain was getting so bad that they thought it was growing pains (at one point I was in so much pain my dad was having to carry me to the bath), then that I was coeliac, had IBS, then that I had appendicitis (so they took my appendix out!!).  I had endoscopies, barium meals, went to the pain clinic everything under the sun only for my mum to be told that it was all in my head.  As I had suffered since I was a baby, she knew better, and on the recommendation of our family GP - who was brilliant but couldn’t get help from any "specialists" we went to a naturopath (I grew up in austalia, but I believe that there are naturopaths here).  They are sort of natural, alternative therapy physicians, or as I called him "the hippy doc"

The naturopath listened to my mum (she still talks about this guy to this day about how nice it was to be listened to and not treated as neurotic parent!) and decided to put my on what I as a 12 year old considered a horrible regime.  He decided that my diet was playing a massive role in my problems (I had what would be considered a healthy diet, but that there was something upsetting the "balance" as such), that as I being physically ill all the time that the acid balance in my stomach was also off and made digestion even harder (hence why I was getting crippling cramps). 

I was put on a diet of elimination that in my memory lasted around a year (It may have been less as everything seems bigger, longer, taller when you were young!) but basically we started with pretty much no food - my GP was well aware of the plan - and then the idea was to gradually and slowly ( it takes a while for certain foods to build up in your system which may then attack, kind of too much of a good thing if you will) introduce other foods to see what was triggering the attacks.  I was at the same time taking so many tablet supplements that it wasn’t funny (I still needed all my vitamins!). 

To be frank, I was pretty miserable with the whole thing as I couldn’t eat anything (I felt like a bit of an outcast at school for a while!!) as I didn’t think we were getting anywhere, but months and months down the line I got sick again.  Right after we introduced wheat.  I was gutted but thought, "well, at least I can go back to eating other things again", but my "hippy doc" didn’t think it was the only thing so we kept going adding more things (including different types of wheat products, and flours like buckwheat , maize, yeast etc) and it was discovered after I was getting attacks again that dairy was doing it too (it was a week after starting to eat it that I got my attack - I cried as I thought I could never have ice cream again!). 

My naturopath explain that I didn’t have to totally exclude wheat and dairy from my diet, but to only eat it every now and then - if I didn’t I would suffer the consequences. 

As I got older, like the other posted message, my migraine moved north and into my head.  It appeared out of the blue but I admit, I had been a little lax with my diet, but not to be getting this bad.  I was referred to a neurologist (in the UK as I was now living here) to rule out anything in the head and he discovered after doing some very

I would definitely take him to the Docs depending on how good your doc's been in the past, might be better of taking him to A & E when he's got it? I was lucky to finally get someone to take notice of me, was only by chance as my DD had been admited to hospital with an asthma attack and I asked the docs about it, 3 of them said just normal headache till they were about to discharge her and then one of the docs said wanted to do some simple tests and took it from there. She didn't have any symptoms at the time just listened to what I had to say about the pains she gets when she does get it. Easier for me as she could explain but she's been suffering a whole year and no one would listen so keep going back with your lil un! It is supposed to be less common in boys and he's still really young so could be something else but doesn't sound normal if happens often so should get checked anyway

Chunkygem.... just wondering when you say, when you got older they slowly moved up, do you mean up higher part of tummy or from tummy to head?? My DD gets normal migraines with the abdominal but it's only really low down although lately she has been saying it's around her tummy button too. kinda feel helpless when can't even ease the pain a little bit. Thanx for replying  x

So glad i came across this thread. Our DS is 15 months old and my hubby and I wonder if he suffers from migraine/Abdominal migraine as about once every month he seems fine, first thing in the day then he suddenly goes pale, lethargic, falls asleep very easily and then wakes and goes on and on like this for hours and is VERY sick, this continues all day, he also goes hot with a temperature and then freezing cold. he'll perk up once he's been sick and then later on goes bad again. We offer his bed time beaker which he'll have some of, then is sick again, and then again in bed and then has a restless night and then the next day is fine again. Does it sound like a migraine in babies??? I suffer migraines and his symptoms seem the same as mine. Should i take him to a Dr. The trouble is without any symptoms at the time i don't know how they'll diagnose. HELP!

hia,me and my mum were just talking about this as shed neva heard it mentioned.  im now 28 but all through growing up i suffered with them, i dont mean to dampen spirits but as i got older they slowly moved up(yes i now suffer with migranes....not 2 bad though). as i gradually got older the temperatures started to ease abit to, its not very common and when i was younger my mum had to really struggle to get any help at all.  good luck and i hope lo ok.  i no im not any help just havent heard of it mentioned before.xx

Hi Sam,

I just noticed your post after searching for some advice/support for Abdominal migraine. Seems like it's not all that common, I had thought there would have been more people who have children with it.

My DD is 7 years old and has just been diagnosed, I have been to 8 different doctors who fobbed me off saying she just has a headache and is holding wee for too long! I was stating to think it was just growing up girly pains

She has just been given new meds (Pizotifen) to see how it goes, it's only been the first night with them though but I am really keeping my fingers crossed as she really suffers a lot. It's really hard to deal with as NOTHING helps ease the pain. Your DD is very young so even harder for you/her as she can't really explain it. I hope things are not too bad for her .

TC, Rea

Hi Guys

Just wondering if there was anyone else out there whose child suffers with abdominal migraine. My daughter was diagnosed with it about 3 years ago - she started with it around 9 months old - doctor told us it was teething! So after being very ill every 2 weeks (very high temperature, sick, lethargic) and after getting all her teeth we came to the conclusion that it wasnt teething after all. We took her back to the doctors on several occasions - went to the hospital a few times and eventually got referred to a specialist who diagnosed abdominal migraine. Its an awful thing - she's now 5 and a half and still has a couple of days at least once a month where she is really poorly, however its not as bad as it was in the early days - lasts 1 to 2 days whereas in the early days it was lasting 4/5 days! Ive found out a lot about it through various websites but was just wondering if anyone else has gone through this and come out the other side!

Look forward to hearing from you

Sam