Back-To-School: Tension Headaches, Migraines Higher In Kids This Time Of Year

Back to school time isn't just about pencil cases, erasers and permission slips. It's also apparently about a trend that may be due to certain back-to-school changes that induce stress, new routines and lack of sleep. 

Recent findings from the Nationwide Children's Hospital demonstrate how headaches increase in the fall among children heading back to school. Researchers have found that certain health issues may trigger the problem, including poor hydration and prolonged screen time that could contribute to a child's overall discomfort.

For the study, researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of close to 1,300 emergency department visits from 2010-2014. The results concluded that when monthly emergency department visits were grouped seasonally, it showed an increase in headaches in the fall in those ages five to 18-years-old.

Researchers primarily saw two main types of headaches: Tension headaches and migraines. Though migraines were far less common in children, those who suffered from migraines were more likely to suffer from intense pain associated with nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound and smell.

The study authors believe that the increase in headaches seen among children may be contributed to a number of other factors also including lack of rest, poor hydration, too much caffeine, skipping meals, lack of exercise and prolonged electronic screen time.

"Your brain is like your cell phone," Howard Jacobs, MD, a headache specialist at Nationwide Children's, said in a news release. "If you don't plug your cell phone in, it doesn't have energy, it doesn't work well. If you don't plug your brain in by providing energy, it doesn't work well and that causes headaches."

Fortunately, parents can help their child prevent and stop headaches. Eating three proper meals a day as well as taking pain medicines, including naproxen, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen can also be helpful. Talk with your doctor about what's right for your child.

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