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MyHealthNewsDaily
Children with migraine headaches may do worse in school than other students, a new study suggests.
Kids in the study who suffered episodic migraines (i.e., migraines occurring fewer than 14 days each month) were 1.3 times more likely perform below average in school, compared to kids who didn't have any type of headache. And kids with chronic migraines (i.e., migraines occurring 15 or more days each month) were 1.6 times more likely to perform below average in school, compared to kids without headaches.
"For years, we've had few studies that have linked the symptoms of migraines to the burden on children and families," said Dr. Lenora Lehwald, a neurologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Studies such as this one may help get "buy-in" from schools in helping kids who suffer migraines get prompt treatment, she said.
"Children with migraines need immediate treatment, or their meds won't work as well," said Lehwald, who was not involved in the study. "Having the school understand the significance of the headache helps move the treatment more quickly along," she said.
Kids with migraines often have to deal not only with their physical pain, but also the frustration of adults not understanding the condition, Lehwald said. "This is not a malingering child, this is a pathology that needs treatment."
Migraines and school
In the study, researchers looked at 5,700 children in Brazil, between ages 5 and 12, collecting data by interviewing teachers and parents. The study was conducted by researchers at Merck & Co., a pharmaceutical company, and is published today (Oct. 29) in the journal Neurology.
Of the 1,108 children in the study who had no headaches, 257 (23 percent) were rated by their teachers as performing below average in school. By contrast, of the 486 children with episodic migraines, 158 (33 percent) were rated as performing below average, and 13 of the 35 (37 percent) of children with chronic migraines were rated as such.
In addition, the study showed that kids with migraines were also more likely to have missed at least one day of school in the last six months, and more likely to have left school before the end of the school day, as compared with children who get tension headaches rather than migraines.
In her experience treating children who suffer migraines, Lehwald said, she has met some patients who feel the school doesn’t understand how physically debilitating their symptoms can be. "The school may think the kid is making up the symptoms. Kids feel very discouraged, and like nobody understands."
Such feelings may further affect children's moods and self-esteem, and make them even less likely to report their symptoms, she said.
What parents can do
Parents can also help their help children who have migraines do better in school by keeping them on regular schedules, Lehwald said. For children with migraines, "having a very even-keel lifestyle puts them less at risk of having a migraine. Staying hydrated, not skipping meals, adhering to a good sleep schedule," can all help, she said. "They need a predictable 24-hour schedule."
Parents can also model for their children the type of attention they need to give to their migraines as soon as one starts. A migraine “can be a really debilitating experience if not treated as an emergency. Parents can help a child learn that, too."
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This is a BULLSH!T article.
Post #1: written by someone who has NEVER experienced a migraine; no one who has experienced one would dare to utter that complete fabrication....
Actually, the argument could be made (and very easily) that the article was bs, not because one doesn't believe in the toll that migraines take, but because it a) cites a study that relied entirely on self-reporting and b) makes an argument that should be common sense without giving any new information to those who are living with the problem.
It also doesn't address those who have migraines and aren't really helped by the medication that's out there. So often people think that you should be fine if you're on meds for something. Especially if they're told that it's an "emergency" each time your child has a migraine.
People are just prone to think someone else is doing things to get attention or so they can get out of doing their work if they can't see any physical manifestation of the problem. I think that should be the topic of study if we want to help children with any number of medical problems that affect a child's ability to perform.
and has never seen my son, white as a ghost from the horrible pain and other migraine symptoms, come staggering through the door to our house, nearly unable to walk or talk because he is in so much pain..... completely heartless.
I will pray for your son. I suffered from migraines as an adult and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Don't give up. As long as it's treatable, there's always hope. They did get better but I had to go back to wearing braces etc. before things settled down.
Blessings
My son went from being the top student in his class in middle school to barely passing in high school. When I took him to the hospital one night, he said it felt like he was being stabbed in the head. They wouldn't give him any medication at first, wanting to ask what was wrong while his blood pressure went up. They acted like he was a drug addict. The school has tried to be helpful, except for his counselor; she has acted like he is just a bad student. I'm exhausted from it all.
Growing up experiencing regular migraines, I am glad to see this awareness. I remember going to the school nurse when the pain was no longer bearable. She would take my temperature and because I did not have a fever she could not send me home.
Sometimes I think they thought I was making it up, and would say "we can't send you home for a headache." So clearly there was no awareness at that time. At the time when the pain got so bad that the nausea and vomiting began, I would be sent home.
I am glad to see more awareness these days. Thankfully this didn't affect my grades but I am sure it does for many kids.
I've only ever had two or three migraines, all in direct response to being exposed to cleaning chemicals, and they weren't even THAT bad...but I can completely see how they would lead to lowered school performance. Any type of pain or illness will. It's pretty self-explanatory. I don't perform my best when I have stomach issues or a cold or a headache, so someone with migraines which can involve many different problems is surely not going to do well...especially if they are chronic!
My migraines affect the part of my brain that controls speech. My words are slurred, or I can think of the word but cannot say it. The school constantly accused me of being on drugs. They were nasty, nasty, nasty about it despite repeated documentation from the doctor. Oh, and they wouldn't let me go home, either, until one day when I got nauseated and simply threw up in the aisle when the bitch wouldn't let me leave me the room. Bastards. My last job was much the same.
Well here are just SOME things you’ll discover inside this guide:
- How to identify if a migraines is approaching and how to prevent it.
- How to Identify foods, stress factors and other things that can trigger your migraines.
- How to control them using natural methods and easy to follow techniques.
- How to avoid migraine related side effects.
- How to treat them effectively once they appear.
- How to reduce and relief pain as well as other symptoms.
- Much much more.
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