These days all kids get headaches, lots of them thanks to technology. Sometimes, parents make the mistake of not believing their child, reasoning they might be too young to get them or worse that they're trying to get out of school - but by some research estimates nearly 75% of children under the age of 15 will experience at least one severe headache.
Headaches are commonly assumed to be the domain of stressed out adults, but with many children who are loaded with eight hours of schooling, homework and extra curricular activities, iPods, cell phones, portable video games, TVs, laptops, headaches are actually quite common-place amongst the under 18 set.
One thing scientists are discovering is that the brain activity responsible for headaches is actually one of the most preventable forms of illness in children. Yes, this means that parents can actually play a dramatic and active role in helping to prevent their children from developing patterns that cause chronic headaches, including migraines, in their children.
Below is some of the research that has recently become available in being able to sharply reduce headaches in children:
Video Games
You don't need a brain surgeon to tell you that staring at a computer screen or television screen for hours at a time is not healthy for you, nor is it healthy for a developing mind. Sustained bursts of light and radiation can give anyone a headache. Studies are beginning to show that children who stare at computer screens and television monitors for at least 3 hours daily are five times more likely to develop severe headaches than children who have a more diversified lifestyle. The eyestrain is considerable and can definitely pave the way to chronic migraines as an adult, depending on the length of prolonged exposure to a television or computer terminal.
Solution:
LIMIT your child's playtime on the TV and computer-it can be that simple or that difficult. Engage with them outside in the sunshine or play a board game. Not only will limiting their exposure to the internet teach them to develop social skills, but their eyes will get a break, and hence, a reduction in headaches.
Sodas, Starbucks and Chocolate, Oh My...
The sad truth about children today is that their little bodies probably consume MORE caffeine proportionally than you as a parent do, today. Caffeine is a vicious drug and when not fed it can unleash the equivalent a never-ending jackhammer in the head. Soda, chocolate and coffee or teas can easily re-wire a child's brain to become chemically dependent on caffeine very quickly, like, in as a little as a week.
Solution:
If your child has been hitting the soda bottle for quite some time or really enjoys his Twix or M&M's, this might take some time and patience. You definitely need to explain to your child the consequences of food/beverages that have caffeine and what they will do to his/her brain (they will understand). Make a plan to begin gradually scaling back their exposure. You may need an analgesic like Tylenol or Advil to ease the first and second day headaches-but use them sparingly.
Forget the Butler, the iPod Did It.
Kids have so many handheld devices these days that all them in unison can easily give them a headache if used for a prolonged period of time. But the main culprit can be a MP3 player, especially if the volume is jacked up. Young ears are especially sensitive to most auditory vibrations and even mildly loud music is enough to do some significant damage to both the ear canals and parts of the brain, resulting in headaches and ear ringing. Not only can listening to sustained decibels of loud music irreversibly destroy a child's hearing, it can produce sensitivity that can easily trigger massive migraines for the rest of their adult lives.
Solution:
If your child complains of headaches often, ask them to abstain from listening to their MP3 player for one week and see the difference a week can make. Explain to them the how their volume setting is creating the headaches.
Is your Child allowed to be a Kid?
Children these days can have just as active a school and extracurricular life as their parents. And all of this stress may be eating away at your child. If your child is expected to be the scholar, the star athlete and the perfect sibling, you may be inviting an unhealthy amount of stress that can easily cause headaches on a daily basis for your child.
Solution:
Let your child be...a child. Carve out chunks of time for them to do anything they want, no matter how frivolous or goofy. Free, unstructured time is vital in this digital age where everyone is an email away from work. Protect your child from the stressors of adulthood. This can ease their burden significantly and let them unwind from the pressure of school and sports competitions. Everyone needs a healthy release.
Analgesics
Do you run to the medicine cabinet the minute your child gets a throbbing sensation in the head? Overuse of analgesics like Tylenol or Advil can actually make headaches worse if used for a prolonged period of time. The body adapts to the effects of the medicine and eventually the stress can overwhelm the effects of the medicine. And, you should NEVER administer more than the recommended dosage of medicine to a child.
Solution:
Break the addiction to painkillers. Teach your child some simple breathing and meditation techniques. Lying on a bed and taking ten deep breaths can go a long way to helping a headache. Teaching a child to be still and breathing can be more powerful in reducing stress than any prescriptive painkiller. In addition, placing a blind fold over the eyes can further help the child calm down to a point where the pain and any inflammation can be reduced in a short amount of time. If he or she has a sinus pressure headache, begin using a neti pot on a regular basis to clean out the internal sinus cavities, it can make a significant difference.
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