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Home › Articles › Health › Horrific Headaches

Horrific Headaches

How to Cope with
Childhood Migraines

By Megan Kopp

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Keeping Tabs on Migraines
But how do you decipher exactly which triggers are responsible for your child's migraines? "A diary is an excellent tool for parents of children with frequent migraines," Turner says. "Sometimes attention to diet, rest and other factors can significantly reduce the occurrence."

Recording the details of when the headaches occurred, how long they lasted, what was eaten that day, what was the activity that day, how much sleep the night before, etc., may seem trivial, but memory alone can fail us, Simons says. "You might not make the connection between the headaches every Wednesday, which is also hot dog day at the school cafeteria, until you see the pattern emerging on paper," she says.

The diary is only one step. It is also vital to develop a dialogue with your family doctor or pediatrician about recurring headaches. Don't wait to bring it up during some future appointment. Make a specific visit to discuss the migraines. Your doctor may wish to refer your child to a pediatric neurologist in order to exclude any other illnesses that can mimic migraines.

"If the headaches worsen over time, are associated with weakness and numbness or worsen upon awakening, these are factors which may indicate the problem is more serious than a migraine," Dr. Zacharowicz says. "A neurologist may also prescribe medication (such as Propanolol) to help prevent frequent and severe migraines."


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