(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – A new study suggests kids who complain that going back to school is a real headache, may have a legitimate point, and some may need to see a doctor.
“We looked at the number of serious headache cases we treated in our emergency department over the last five years and saw a considerable spike during the fall, compared to the rest of the year,” said Dr. Ann Pakalnis, a neurologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and lead author of the study. “We think the stress of going back to school and adjusting to a new schedule and routine are driving those numbers up,” said Pakalnis.
Mirroring a national study that charted headache cases in children, the study at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that visits to the emergency department for serious headaches remained fairly consistent during the winter, spring and summer seasons, but jumped more than 31 percent in the fall.
“That’s significant,” said Dr. Howard Jacobs, attending headache specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Comprehensive Pediatric Headache Clinic. “Headaches interfere with these kids’ lives, and parents need to be aware of how they can ease their strain or prevent them all together.”
