Do Headaches In Children Increase During The Fall?

A new study found that headaches in children increase during back-to-school time.

The research, conducted by Nationwide Children’s Hospital physicians, concluded that headaches in children tend to increase toward the beginning of the fall season.

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“We see a lot of headaches in young boys, from five to nine years of age, and in boys they tend to get better in later adolescence,” said Dr. Pakalnis, a professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, in a prepared statement. “In teenage girls, migraines oftentimes make their first presentation around the time of puberty and unfortunately tend to persist into adulthood.”

The increase in headaches during this time frame may be attributed to several factors, including academic stressors, schedule changes and an inreased in extracurricular activity.

To prevent headaches from occurring, Dr. Jacobs recommends that children eat three meals a day, get enough sleep at night, drink enough liquids and work to remove stress.

“A sudden, severe headache or a change in the headache sensation from previous, what we call ‘first or worst’ headaches should be evaluated,” said Dr. Jacobs, also a clinical associate professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University. “Another good rule of thumb is that if the headaches are interfering with a child’s normal routine, then it is time to get them evaluated, so therapy can be instituted to return your child’s life to normal.”