Tracking Your Child's Headaches: A Simple Guide for Indian Parents

Your child gets headaches regularly, and you are heading to see a neurologist. Before anything else — start a headache diary. Here is a simple version designed for parents to fill in for younger children, and for older children to complete themselves.

What to Record for Each Headache Episode

• Date and day of the week
• Day at school or at home? (helps identify if school stress is a pattern)
• What time did the headache start?
• How long did it last?
• Where was the pain? (whole head, one side, behind eyes, top — let the child point)
• How bad was it? — use a simple scale for younger children: mild (could still play), moderate (stopped playing, wanted to rest), severe (crying, could not do anything)
• Did they feel sick/vomit?
• Were they bothered by light or noise?
• What made it worse or better? (lying down in dark, vomiting, sleeping)
• Did they miss school?
• What did they eat or drink that day? (possible trigger — chocolate, MSG, skipped meal)
• Sleep last night: Good / less than usual
• Any stressful event: Exam, fight with friend, teacher scolded
• Medicine given: What, dose, time, did it help?

Keep Even the "No Headache" Days

Simply marking "no headache" on headache-free days is equally important. The total headache days per month determines whether preventive treatment is needed.

Bring 4 Weeks of Data

Four weeks of diary data is ideal. If the appointment is sooner, bring whatever you have. Even 1–2 weeks is far better than nothing. A free notebook or the back of your child's homework diary works perfectly.

"When a parent walks in with a detailed 4-week headache diary for their child, we can often make the correct diagnosis and begin the right treatment within the first consultation — rather than needing multiple return visits."

Dr. Anand Karnam evaluates children's headache including migraine at Sri Anand Child and Neuro Center, Chanda Nagar. Call +91 90633 66983.