Most headaches or occasional childhood headaches are not of visual origin, but there are some cases in which this underlying cause is found. Therefore, if the child often has a headache, we must assess the possibility of taking him to the ophthalmologist. Many times, we go to the pediatrician first and they can send us there to the specialist if it is suspected that the child's headache may be of ocular cause.
And how can we know if that headache is of visual origin? There are certain indications that at least allow us to suspect. The first is that the headache is related to the specific or continuous visual use (painting, watching TV, reading ...).
This type of headache does not usually occur in the morning, which is precisely when the view is rested. We may also notice that it improves on weekends, when the child sheds many schoolwork.
Although the type of pain is difficult to define (especially when we talk about children), in the case of visual pain we talk about continuous "dull" pains, not like migraines that arise in "outbreaks".
About the location of pain is usually frontal (front, middle part of the head) or periocular (around the eyes) and not a hemicraneal pain (one side of the head hurts, right or left).
The head can hurt from a refractive defect for two main reasons: the child makes a big effort to focus (which sometimes occurs in farsightedness); the images that reach the brain are distorted (sometimes it happens with astigmatisms or with poorly adjusted glasses).
Be that as it may, if the pain continues over time, its cause must be sought so that the child does not suffer and, as up to eight years of age the child's vision is in formation, one can act in the event that these headaches are of visual origin
Also, remember that the necessary consultations have to be done to the eye doctor as it is proven that the less eye checks, the more vision problems in children. Early detection matters in any eye problem.
Definitely, childhood headache may be due to vision problems if it has the characteristics described above, so it is advisable to take it to the ophthalmologist and not let these annoying pains pass for the child (and for anyone ...).
