5-HTP
What do you know about 5-Hydroxytryptophan, beyond what I've read on Wikipedia and About.com?
How about dosages for treating chronic headaches in a 70 lb nine-year-old girl?
Feel free to email me, or just put it into comments for everyone to see. But please, cite your sources, and don't just quote the common articles back to me; I've read them.
posted by Matt G @ 9:45 PM
6 Comments:
The following quotes are from the book, PRESCRIPTION FOR NUTRITIONAL HEALING, Third Edition by Balch and Balch c.2000. It's the goto book for the holistic/natural healing crowd. It's an excellent resource of information.
"Unless otherwise specified, the dosages recommended here are for adults. For a child between the ages of twelve and seventeen, reduce the dose to three-quarters the recommended amount. For a child between six and twelve use one-half the recommended dose, and for a child under the age of six, use one-quarter the recommended amount."
"5-HTP (Suggested Dosage: As directed on label) Many clinical studies have shown excellent results with both tension headaches and migraines. (Headaches, Page 408)"
I have no personal experience with this supplement. I knew that my book would address your question, so I looked it up. Hope the information is helpful but mostly, I hope your baby is feeling better soon.
Katrina
Epocrates has an article but it is only available by subscription. http://www.epocrates.com/
You can also see the 19 results for searching "5-HTP headache" at PubMed. http://www.pubmed.gov/
Whatever you do please be sure to tell your health care provider about any alternative therapies. If they don't appreciate it find a younger doc.
I've not heard of 5-HTP as an alternative before - but reading the Wiki entry, what concerns me is the impact on the liver - if the doc approves, but doesn't recommend monitoring liver function, I'd ask the doc to do so .......................
Semper Fi'
DM
Well, tryptan agonists have been found to do something in acute migrane attacks. Though the people who get them only use them once. Headache. 2006 Sep;46(8):1261-3.
I'd speak to a pediatric neurologist.
I'm trusting you have thoroughly investigated the headaches as chronic headaches in a child are unusual. Eye strain, brain pathology, chronic allergies and/or sinusitus, chiari malformation are a few that enter my mind. Also rebound headaches from overuse of OTC medications
I'm likin' the combo of William and ERNursey's answers...a Pediatric neurologist to check out the possible causes of chronic headaches. Assuming she's seen an ENT and allergist to r/o those common causes already.
Post a Comment
<< Home