LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WAVE) – On Thursday, Norton Pediatric Neurologist Dr. Elizabeth Doll spoke about migraine headaches and how they affect children.
Migraines can have a debilitating effect on children as well as adults.
About 10% of school-aged children and 28% of teenagers suffer from migraines.
Severe headaches prevent children from playing, interacting with peers, or concentrating at school.
Both family history and gender can contribute to migraines.
Prepubescent boys tend to have more migraines. That reversed in his teenage years, with 8% of his boys and 23% of girls experiencing migraines by age 17.
Asked about the rise in children diagnosed with migraine headaches, Dole said, “We haven’t come to any conclusions about that yet. There are some speculations. We do a better job of diagnosing them and raising awareness.” In the old days, you may not have seen a doctor.There is an epidemic of stress anxiety depression that can play a role.
Doll recommended that if you think your child is suffering from migraines, see your child’s doctor.
Botox and acupuncture have also shown good results, according to Dole.
Copyright 2023 WAVE. All rights reserved.
