Signs and symptoms of Migraines    (From www.mayoclinic.com)

• Moderate to severe pain — many migraine headache sufferers feel pain on only one side of their head, while some experience pain on both sides
• Head pain with a pulsating or throbbing quality
• Pain that worsens with physical activity
• Pain that hinders your regular daily activities
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound

CLICK TO ENLARGE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Normal vision and migraine aura

When left untreated, a migraine headache typically lasts from four to 72 hours, but the frequency with which they occur can vary from person to person. You may have migraines several times a month or just once or twice a year.

Not all migraine headaches are the same. Most people suffer from migraines without auras, which were previously called common migraines. Some have migraines with auras, which were previously called classic migraines. If you're in the second group, you'll likely have auras about 15 to 30 minutes before your headache begins. They may continue after your headache starts or even occur after your headache begins. These may include:

• Sparkling flashes of light
• Dazzling zigzag lines in your field of vision
• Slowly spreading blind spots in your vision
• Tingling, pins-and-needles sensations in one arm or leg
• Rarely, weakness or language and speech problems

Whether or not you have auras, you may have one or more sensations of premonition (prodrome) several hours or a day or so before your headache actually strikes, including:

• Feelings of elation or intense energy
• Cravings for sweets
• Thirst
• Drowsiness
• Irritability or depression

Migraine headache symptoms in children
Migraines typically begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood and may become less frequent and intense as you grow older. Children as young as age 1 can have these headaches. In addition to physical suffering, severe headaches often mean missed school days and trips to the emergency room, as well as lost work time for anxious parents.

Children's migraines tend to last for a shorter time. But the pain can be disabling and can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness and increased sensitivity to light. A migraine headache tends to occur on both sides of the head in children, and visual auras are rare. However, children often have premonition signs and symptoms, such as:

• Yawning
• Sleepiness or listlessness
• A craving for foods such as chocolate, hot dogs, sugary snacks, yogurt and bananas

Children may also have all of the signs and symptoms of a migraine headache — nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and sound — but no head pain. These "abdominal migraines" can be especially difficult to diagnose.

The good news is that some of the same medications that are effective for adults also work for children. Your child doesn't have to suffer the pain and disruption of migraines. If your child has headaches, talk to your pediatrician. He or she may want to refer your child to a pediatric neurologist.