Programs & Services

Helping a child manage headaches and the symptoms that come along with them calls for a comprehensive and understanding approach to care.

At Phoenix Children’s, we understand that not all headaches are the same. We’ll work closely with your child and family to find the right treatment approach, program and services to help reduce triggers, relieve symptoms and prevent recurring headaches.

Your child’s plan may include the “basics” like rest, fluids and over-the-counter medicine. But, your child may also need specialized care and services, like our Complex Headache Clinic or understanding how lifestyle management can help them feel better. Our team will sit down with your child and you to make a lifestyle management plan that includes:

• Reducing exposure to or avoiding triggers
• Daily exercise
• Healthy eating
• Adequate sleep
• Relaxation or stress management techniques to reduce stress
• Creating a comfortable environment for your child to rest during a headache
• Instructions on what to do when your child experiences a headache at school

Our team can also offer evidence-based treatment approaches to managing and preventing headaches, including:

• Botox injections
• Nerve blocks
• Medication management (including over-the-counter and prescription medicine)

Sometimes, headaches are hard to manage. When that happens, your child’s provider may recommend other approaches to treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback and relaxation.

These integrated, evidence-based therapies have been proven to help children with migraines and are often used along with medication. It’s also an approach that’s often used to help children manage anxiety and depression, which are commonly be seen with recurring headaches.

At the Complex Headache Clinic, your child will meet with a pediatric headache specialist and pediatric psychologist on the same day.