Migraines can hinder children’s academic performance

Children with migraines can do worse at school than other students, a new study suggests.

Children in the study who suffered episodic migraines (i.e. migraines occurring less than 14 days per month) were 1.3 times more likely to perform below average in school, compared to children who did not have any type of headache. And children with chronic migraines (e.g. migraines occur at least 15 days a month) 1.6 times less than average in school, compared to children without a headache.

"For years we have had only a few studies that have linked child and family stress to the symptoms of migraines", said Dr. Lenora Lehwald, a neurologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Studies like this can help "Buy-in" out of schools to get immediate treatment for children who suffer from migraines, she said.

"Children with migraines need immediate treatment, or their medications do not work as well", said Lehwald, who was not involved in the study. "The importance of headaches helps exercise to understand treatment faster together with school", she said.

Children with migraines often said not only with their physical pain, but also the frustration of adults who did not understand the condition, Lehwald. "This is not a Fever attack child, this is a disease that needs treatment."

Migraines and school

In the study, researchers looked at 5,700 children in Brazil, ages 5 to 12, gathering data through interviews with teachers and parents. The study was carried out by researchers at Merck & Co., a pharmaceutical company, conducted and published today (Oct. 29) in the journal Neurology.

1,108 children in the study who did not have a headache were rated by their teachers as underperforming 257 (23 percent). In contrast, of the 486 children with episodic migraines, 158 (33 percent) were rated as underperforming, and 13 35 (37 percent) of the children with chronic migraines were rated as such.

In addition, the study showed that children with migraines have also missed at least one day at school in the past six months, and more before school The End of school day, compared to having left children who get tension-type headaches rather than migraines.

Her experience treating children who suffer from migraines, Lehwald said, she met some patients who don’t understand the school how physically feeling debilitating symptoms can be. "The school can think the child is taking to the symptoms. Children feel very discouraged and like nobody understands."

Such feelings can further affect moods and children’s self-esteem, and even make them less likely to report their symptoms, she said.

What Parents can do

Parents’ help can also help children who have migraines do better at school by going to regular appointments, Lehwald said. For children with migraines"he had a very even keel lifestyle she was less at risk of a migraine. Stay hydrated, not skipping meals, maintaining a good sleep schedule"can help everyone, she said. "they need a predictable 24 hour program."

Parents can also model for their children the kind of attention they need to give their migraines once you start. A migraine can "a really debilitating experience if not treated as an emergency. Parents can learn to help a child."

Pass it on: Children with migraine headaches may have difficulty at school, a new study finds.

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