Uses
Most headaches in kids are only temporary inconveniences. But because they can sometimes indicate a more serious problem, a persistent headache should never be ignored.
Unfortunately, kids headaches are sometimes overlooked, as toddlers do not express themselves in the same way as older kids.
Signs of headaches in kids:
- Furrowing the brow or squinting the eyes
- Grimacing or holding the head
- Aversion to bright lights
- Discomfort around loud noises
- Crankiness
- Complaining of head pain
- Headaches in kids often are hereditary. If you or your spouse suffer from headaches, your child may too.
Some potential headache triggers include:
- Certain medications (headaches can be a side effect)
- Too little sleep or sudden changes in sleep patterns
- Skipping meals
- Dehydration
- Being under a lot of stress
- Having a minor head injury
- Excessive computer or TV usage
- Changes in hormone levels
- Strong odors such as perfume, smoke, fumes, or a new car or carpet
- Excessive caffeine
- Consumption of certain foods, including high-fat foods or highly processed foods (such as those containing nitrates, aspartame, MSG, preservatives or other additives)
- But most kids headaches aren’t signs that something more is wrong. Only 10% of headaches are caused by other medical conditions, such as infections or other serious illnesses.
Treatment
If you are looking for a way to relieve your child’s headache without medication, simply apply a cool compress with the Cool Gel ‘n Cap™. Just cool a gel pack to a suitable temperature and insert it into the Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ to give your child instant headache relief.
While other types of compresses can feel freezing and even painful against the skin, our compresses are non-toxic and encased in fabric to ensure comfort. Plus, the Cool Gel ‘n Cap’s™ hands-free design allows children to play and function normally while getting consistent headache pain relief.
Parents often ask doctors, “Why do kids get headaches?” and “Should I be concerned if my child complains of one?”
Kids headaches are actually quite common. Studies have shown that 40 percent of children have had a headache by age seven, and three out of four have had them by age 15. Of those, four percent are migraine sufferers.
Earaches
Earaches in children are a periodic source of discomfort, particularly in toddlers. In fact, toddlers have about four earaches per year, on average.
What’s the difference between an earache and ear infection? According to Dr. Alan Greene at www.drgreene.com, “Earaches and ear infections overlap each other, but are not identical. This often causes confusion. An earache is the feeling of pain in the ear. Ear pain can have a number of different causes.”
Causes of Earache:
- Ear Infections
- Swimmer’s Ear, an infection of the ear and/or outer ear canal caused by a specific germ
- Earwax buildup
- Ear stuffiness/Airplane ears
- Blocked ear tubes from colds, hay fever or second-hand cigarette smoke
- Typical Signs of Childhood Earaches:
- Certain medications (headaches can be a side effect)
- Ear seeps with fluid or excess wax
- Pulling or rubbing ears often, or even holding or cupping ear
- Crying or unusual fussiness
- Ear pain
- Fever
- Irritability
- Trouble hearing
- Sudden loss of appetite
Treatment
Every childhood earache needs attention, but not all earaches benefit from antibiotics. A doctor’s visit will help determine the earache’s cause and the best course of treatment.
The greatest pain reliever is warm, moist heat around the ear. A warm (not hot) heat source held over the ear will greatly reduce discomfort. This allows the fluid that is trapped inside the ear to slowly drain and does relieve the pressure immensely.
Parents can use the Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ to provide their children with pain relief for earaches without the inconvenience of holding a warm compress against the child’s head. Both parent and child can be “hands-free.” The gel pack within the Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ can be heated for ear pain relief.
The Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ is non-toxic and encased in fabric to protect your child from any burning sensation that certain other types of warm compresses can sometimes have. Children can play and function normally while getting soothing pain relief for earaches through the Cool Gel ‘n Cap™.
Ear Infections
Each year, 25 million pediatric appointments in the United States are attributed to ear infections. Pain is the first clue that your child may have an ear infection. If your toddler is saying, “Mommy, my ear hurts,” or you see them tugging or holding their ear, it is likely that you will need to provide some ear infection pain relief.
Most young children will be cranky and restless when ear problems occur, even if they have no fever. The sooner they are given ear pain relief, the better.
Causes of an ear infection
Ear infections are the most common childhood ailment, especially for children up to age 2. Statistics show us that 75% of all kids have had at least one ear infection by the time they reach their third birthday.
Young children are at greater risk of developing a painful ear infection than older children or adults. The wails of a toddler with an ear infection can be emotionally devastating to a parent because there is little they can do to relieve the pain.
It is better to head off an ear infection in its earliest stages. Always call your doctor if you notice that your child is exhibiting any of these symptoms:
- fever and sore throat
- Tugging or rubbing the ear
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Difficulty balancing or walking
- Restless, cranky behavior
- Complaints about everyday noise being too loud or hurting his ears
Treatment
Every childhood earache needs attention, but not all earaches benefit from antibiotics. A doctor’s visit will help determine the earache’s cause and the best course of treatment.
Doctors, nurses and wise grandmothers often suggest that a warm compress be applied to the ear. This is a safe and effective ear infection pain relief that has worked well for generations. There is no dosing schedule involved, and there are no side effects or complications to worry about when this natural pain remedy is used.
The compress helps reduce pain in several ways:
When the compress is held close against the ear, it helps block sound and air from reaching the aching, sensitive eardrum
Sensation of warm compress is calming and relaxing. Spreading warmth quickly eases pain and discomfort by decreasing inflammation.
While a compress may be the best way to get immediate ear infection pain relief, it can be frustrating to keep it in place. Children in pain are restless and they want to be held. Trying to balance the compress and a fretful child can often prove to be a losing battle. The Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ is an innovative product that gives you a solution. Now you can treat the pain of an ear infection and still have both arms free to cuddle your little one.
It is the “no hands” design of the Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ that makes this compress so convenient and effective for ear infection pain relief. In the past, the restless behavior of most young children made it almost impossible to keep heat against their ears. This meant that they were not getting the full healing benefits and it was taking longer to relieve the discomfort. The Cool Gel ‘n Cap’s™ design holds the compress in perfect position with no need to restrict your child’s activity or movements.
Most parents know how difficult it is to find an effective relief for ear infection problems that frequently begin in the middle of the night. The Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ provides an always on hand solution.
Fever
If your child has a fever and you’re alarmed, keep in mind that most fevers are completely harmless. Fever by itself is not dangerous, and unless it is very high (over 106 or 107 degrees F), then it is unlikely to cause brain damage or other problems.
Even when your child’s fever exceeds 100F, you should not get stressed out or panic. The normal body temperature for adults is 98.6F and most children’s core temperatures are a little higher than this. Physicians know that a temperature greater than 100-101F does not pose much danger for otherwise healthy kids. If your child has no other symptoms you can just keep them in a cool environment, dress them in light clothing and monitor them for any changes.
Is it necessary to treat a fever? Not necessarily. In most cases, fever is treated as a comfort measure. Treating a fever, especially if it is caused by an infection, will not help your child get better any faster, but it may help them feel better.
In other cases, there are times when a fever in kids needs to be brought under control. When children have high temperatures they may also develop a febrile headache. This combination of symptoms can be quite uncomfortable.
Treatment
To relieve the discomforts and aches that accompany a fever in kids, heath care professionals suggest a treatment plan that includes fluids, rest and children’s acetaminophen products.
Cool cloths and cold compresses for the forehead are also highly recommended. However, these can be cumbersome and clumsy to work with. The cold pack needs to be positioned on the forehead, temples or on top of the head. This means that the child needs to remain fairly motionless as someone holds the ice pack in place.
Now, there’s an easy way for parents to reduce their child’s fever naturally. Cool Gel ‘n Cap™ is the only hands-free design that lets you provide the cooling relief of an ice pack on demand. The lightweight compress features a non-toxic gel solution that delivers long lasting, cool comfort for your little one. If your child wants to be held and rocked or becomes restless, this cold compress is one less thing to worry about. It will remain where you need it without shifting or sliding.
