Pediatric dizziness is real, and it is one of the leading concerns of parents and guardians. A national survey reveals that about 3.5 million kids aged 3 to 17 years experience dizziness. This is why it came as no surprise that thousands to millions of parents and guardians actively seek natural remedies for dizziness.

But why does dizziness occur in children? Is pediatric dizziness the same as the type of dizziness that adults experience? We want to help you understand dizziness in kids and the best options to help them. 

What Causes Pediatric Dizziness?

Dizziness or feeling lightheaded is a widespread problem that does not only affect adults or aging individuals. Instead, it can also cause difficulty and discomfort in younger people like school-aged children and teenagers. Some of the usual causes of dizziness in children include the following:

• Standing in one place for a long time – Typically, this causes the blood to pool in the legs, lowering the blood pressure in the heart and brain. 
• Neurological issues – Central nervous conditions like vestibular migraines and Chiari Malformation can cause dizziness and vertigo attacks. 
• Malnourishment – Iron or other nutrient deficiencies can cause mild to severe bouts of dizziness accompanied by body weakness.
• Ear infection – Infection inside the ear like vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis can lead to vertigo and dizzying spells. This is because a child’s ability to detect and perceive balance and motion changes gets impaired due to inflammation in the infected ear. 
• Concussions – Contact sports such as football can sometimes cause concussions, a brain injury that causes various symptoms like vertigo attacks, dizziness, and light sensitivity.
• Previous neck trauma – Neck injuries like whiplash can impact the vestibular and nervous systems because of cervical subluxation (neck bone misalignment). The misaligned bone may cause the brain to receive mixed signals concerning the head’s movement or orientation.
• Failing to drink enough water – Dehydration or fluid loss also affects blood pressure. When a child doesn't drink enough water, blood might fail to reach the brain like it should, causing a spinning or dizzying sensation.

Before you start seeking natural remedies for dizziness, like calling a cervical chiropractor, we recommend pinpointing the root cause of the child’s symptoms. This way, you can use the best vertigo relief option and address the root cause once and for all. 

How to Know If a Kid is Dizzy

Kids often have a hard time verbalizing what they feel when they are ill. That's why many parents and guardians find it challenging to provide enough assistance or first-aid remedies. We suggest looking at the following indications of dizziness to help your child cope: 

• The body movements – Check if the child has trouble keeping his balance, especially while walking or running. If the kid can’t stand or walk properly, then he might be experiencing severe dizzying spells or spinning sensations. 
• Difficulty thinking – Lack of oxygen in the brain doesn’t only cause dizzying symptoms. Instead, it can also impair cognitive functions like processing information. 
• Child’s verbal cues – Look out for usual verbal cues such as “my head is spinning” and “I feel sick.” From there, check for other indications of dizziness, such as nausea, vomiting, and loss of balance. 

Generally, dizziness doesn’t require immediate medical assistance. However, there are some instances when you need to dial 911 or rush to the emergency room. Here are some examples:

• The child has a life-threatening condition
• The kid can’t walk, or you observe severe muscle weakness
• He has dizzying spells follow bleeding or an injury
• The child has slurred speech or can’t communicate
• You suspect poisoning
• The child says he feels rapid breathing or heart-pounding

Natural Remedies for Dizziness in Kids 

As parents or guardians, looking for natural remedies for dizziness is the best option in helping an ailing kid. However, most drug manufacturers formulate medications for adults, so we recommend trying natural and holistic approaches first unless you have a specific prescription from a pediatrician. Some of the most highly recommended dizziness remedies you can use include the following:

Monitoring for other health conditions

The presence of health problems like cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders might be why a kid feels dizzy. Alternatively, these health conditions might be a secondary cause of the symptom. Therefore, we strongly recommend getting the child checked by your doctor for a clear and accurate diagnosis. 

Keeping the child hydrated

As we have discussed above, dehydration can cause dizziness. Regardless of the child’s preferences for physical activities, we recommend keeping tabs on his water consumption. You can use graded water bottles or note the number of glasses your kid drinks each day. 

Addressing nutrient deficiency

Nutrient deficiencies can trigger the onset of various diseases that cause malaise. Many kids and parents mistaken malaise or general body weakness for dizziness. If you suspect a nutrient deficiency, we recommend talking to a pediatrician and determine the best food supplements or diet changes you should use. 

Trying the Epley Maneuver

While BPPV or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo primarily affects adults, it can also occur in kids. In fact, about 1 percent of the total BPPV cases are children younger than 15 years old. If the kid has BPPV, you can try the Epley Maneuver. It’s a specialized approach to addressing the root cause of BPPV: dislodged calcium crystals in the inner ears.  

Going to a cervical chiropractor

If the child previously suffered from a head or neck trauma, we highly recommend consulting with a cervical chiropractic doctor. Chances are, the dizzying or spinning sensations that the child experiences stem from misalignment of the upper neck bones. These misaligned bones can impact the central nervous system (CNS), specifically the brain and brainstem. Without them communicating clearly, a child is at risk of experiencing dizziness or false motions. 

With the help of a neck chiropractor, a kid can gradually restore his cervical spine alignment and reduce the pressure on his CNS. It can also help stimulate faster healing of the affected tissues, allowing the child to experience lesser dizzying spells. 

Are you interested in trying a proven natural remedy for dizziness? Then, get in touch with a cervical chiropractor near you so you can schedule your child’s neck bone alignment assessment.

to schedule a consultation today.