| A child with chronic illness show symptoms such as | | | | importance of taking his or her medicine on a regular |
| recurrent headaches, some as severe as migraines. | | | | schedule and by the instructions directed by the |
| These children, as well as their parents, may | | | | doctor. Your child should also be informed and |
| experience difficulty adjusting to school and rules. | | | | educated on improper use of medicine, as well as |
| When working or coping with this type of illness, one | | | | illegal drugs. Encourage your child to ask questions |
| must take added steps and be prepared. Counsulting | | | | and ease their fears. |
| with a pediatric specialist, that specializes in migraine | | | | When Children experience a headache, it is hard for |
| and headaches, will help your child and you find | | | | many of them to express what is happening properly. |
| proper treatments and help you take preventive | | | | Because of the different types of headaches that |
| measures. With each child there are specific triggers, | | | | can occur, this can be aggravating to both child and |
| these should be recognized and noted correctly. | | | | parents. Headaches can be connected to chronic |
| Each school has a basic set of rules, it is extremely | | | | illness, stress, tention, sinus, cold or fever. Proper |
| important for beoth parent and chld be informed. | | | | diagnosis is the best way to handle the problem |
| Some schools have zero tolerance policies involving | | | | correctly. If your child experiences more frequent |
| medicines, and will require medical records for proff | | | | headaches, such as over twice in a month, make a |
| of illness; even to administer over the counter | | | | doctor appointment immediately. |
| medicines such as asp0rin or advil. One rule, children | | | | The younger the child, the harder it is for the |
| who suffer from chronic illness, have a hard time | | | | problem to be expressed. If he or she becomes |
| dealing with is attendence. With chronic illness it is | | | | cranky, restless, tired, irritate easily, disrupted sleep |
| hard to keep up a good attendance record, schools | | | | and eat habits change severly; your child has some |
| may group sick leave with other atttendance | | | | type of problem that needs to be taken care of. |
| absences; this could cause desstress with both child | | | | About seventy percent of children will complain about |
| and parents. Schools may require a doctors slip for | | | | or experience headaches during times of tention or |
| the absences to be excused. Be sure to read all the | | | | stress. Stress management education, and counseling |
| information and policies given you for school. Ask | | | | will help the child through this time. |
| directed questions as well, to ensure proper care for | | | | Proper diagnosis is highly advised, because headaches |
| your child while he or she attends school. | | | | could be an indication of other problems. Previous |
| Most schools have a policy allowing certain | | | | medical records will assist the doctor with discovering |
| medications to be stored, for the school year, in a | | | | the problem. Keeping a note book or log of |
| locked cabnet in the office. When needed the school | | | | occurances, location and severity of pain on a scale |
| nurse can be administrator or medication. Some | | | | of one to ten, ect. will also assist in the diagnosis. |
| sturdents may not be allowed to participate in | | | | Headaches may not be connected to illness they |
| physical education or outside recess because of their | | | | could be due to a head injury. Certain headaches may |
| condition. With this occurance, other optional activities | | | | also be genetically hereditary, such as migraines. |
| should be planned out with the teacher and school | | | | Infection, vision problems, blood pressure, colds, ear |
| officials. In most cases a letter of recommendation | | | | infections can be the cause of headaches in children. |
| from the family doctor will be required. A very good | | | | Somthing more serious could be the cause, such as |
| practice is to equip your child with a medical | | | | tumor or blood clots. |
| identification pendant of some kind. | | | | When the problem can't be diagnosed simply through |
| If your child attends after school programs, or is | | | | your family doctor, you may need to get a referral |
| enrolled in a daycare or babysitting program, when | | | | to a headache specialist or neurologist. CT scans and |
| not attending school, planned measures should be | | | | MRI's may be requested to assist in diagnosis. Once |
| executed. These care programs and people in charge | | | | the problem has a diagnose, your doctor can then |
| of after school programs need to be in formed, both | | | | recommend over the counter medicine or prescribe |
| verbally and in writing. Their assistance in overseeing | | | | medicine to help with the pain and maybe prevent |
| or administering medicine on a timely basis will ensure | | | | recurring headaches. There are some cases where |
| your child is being cared for properly. | | | | the parents are unaware of these problems. This can |
| When your child has grown enough to comprehend | | | | be risky and usually occurs with children over six |
| the seriousness of his or her situation and need for | | | | years. |
| medication; it is a good idea to teach them the | | | | |