Cyclic vomiting in childhood is often a precursor of migraines in adulthood. Usually a child has attacks of vomiting with or without a headache that can occur 10 – 20 times in a 24-hour period. Most children have family history of migraines and as they get older they develop migraines themselves. A study from the Cleveland Clinic led by Dr. David Rothner (a regular speaker at our annual headache symposium) shows that one third of these children may actually have a metabolic disorder and not just migraine. Most children feel perfectly fine between these episodes of vomiting. If these attacks are frequent Dr. Rothner recommends amitriptyline (Elavil), cyproheptadine (Periactin), and ondansetron (Zofran) to treat this condition. Some of the metabolic disorders could be possibly treated with supplements such as CoQ10, riboflavin (vitamin B2), as well as magnesium.
