Have you ever had your child suffer from vertigo and wondered what causes vertigo in children? The Hearing Doctors (ENT Associates of South Florida) in Fort Lauderdale is committed to helping parents understand how best to care for their children when they are dealing with vertigo and we do this by educating them on what the causes of vertigo are and how to treat them. Contact us if you would like to learn more about vertigo in children and how you could help your child overcome it.
What Causes Vertigo & How Do You Identify It?
A number of causes can lead to vertigo. These can range from the very common to the extremely rare, but your doctor will be able to determine which condition is actually affecting your child.
- Ear Conditions: Typically, inner ear conditions like labyrinthitis can cause vertigo and middle ear conditions wherein your child may or may not suffer from an infection but regardless their sense of balance is affected.
- Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo of Childhood: Another cause is benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood, which affects the child’s balance by giving them sudden periods of vertigo accompanied by a variety of other symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. This condition typically lasts until the age of eight.
- Migraines: There is a particular kind of migraine referred to as basillar artery migraine which affects the balance and causes vertigo. This type of vertigo typically resolves as soon as the migraine resolves.
Vertigo is typically a bit more unpleasant for a child than it would be for an adult. An adult can make sense of the pain and discomfort where it may be more difficult for a child to handle. That is why it is so important to take your child to a doctor in order to have them checked out and get the diagnosis to rule out any other, more severe causes.
Symptoms & Treatment
Vertigo usually goes untreated because it tends to resolve itself when the underlying cause at hand is taken care of. However, if the underlying cause is left untreated, then your child will end up experiencing the vertigo for a longer period of time. That is why your doctor will prescribe medicine or a regimen in order to help them recover. For instance, if they have an ear infection that is causing the vertigo, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help kill the bacteria. If their vertigo is bad enough and the underlying cause is untreatable, your doctor may simply recommend motion sickness medication to help ease their nausea and disorientation.
If you have further questions about vertigo or you have a child who is suffering from vertigo and you would like to help them heal from whatever is causing the vertigo itself, contact The Hearing Doctors (ENT Associates of South Florida) in Fort Lauderdale to learn more about what causes vertigo in children and how you can help your child. We can help you schedule an appointment to get your child seen by a doctor as soon as possible.