Can babies as young as 6 months get headaches?

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Can babies as young as 6 months get headaches?

Sure, young babies can have a headache -- a pain in the head when the nerves of something in or around the head (for example, muscles, brain, or blood vessels) become irritated. Mild pains in the head can happen in anyone of any age; for example, with routine viral illnesses or ear infections. Pains in the head also can be more severe, such as a migraine-type headache or the headache associated with meningitis (an infection of the coverings of the brain).

The tricky part with young babies is knowing that they even have a headache. When infants have pain somewhere, they generally are not able to tell us where it hurts. However, parents often know that something isn't right because the baby is acting differently than usual, such as being cranky, fussy, or less interactive, not wanting to eat as much, and sleeping either more or less than usual.

Remember, too, that small babies have a "soft" spot on the top of their heads, near the front. This soft spot, called a fontanelle, exists because the skull bones of the baby's head have not fully grown together yet. There needs to be some room for early brain growth inside the head, so the fontanelle initially allows that to happen. The fontanelle usually closes (the bones grow together) by about 6 to 18 months of age. Some parents worry about touching this area but normal handling of a fontanelle does not cause any pain or harm.

If you ever suspect your infant has a headache, call the doctor as soon as possible to discuss your concerns. Don't just give some acetaminophen (Tylenol) to make the baby comfortable.

Last updated:	April 30, 2004