Pediatric headaches that cannot be easily overlooked, affect not only school life but also personality
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Eye diseases are also one of the main causes of headaches in children. [사진=게티이미지뱅크]If children complained of headaches and lightheartedly suspected ‘faking illness’, this should change now. Headaches in children reduce the quality of life of the child, prevent each organ from functioning properly, and have a negative impact on school life and grades. As a result, interest in the causes, symptoms, and prevention of childhood headaches is growing. Recently, the US health information media, ‘Web MD’, introduced a study that found that there are various causes of headaches in children, but in particular, ‘eyes’ may be the problem.
According to a study appearing in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology, about 60% of children and adolescents experience headaches. Dr. Lisa Lin from the Massachusetts Eye Hospital in the United States reviewed the medical records of 1,878 children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 who visited an ophthalmologist for headaches and found that one in four had eye problems that could cause headaches. did. One in five was diagnosed with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Strabismus was found in 4.4% of the children, and a small number of other children were found to have problems such as glaucoma and optic nerve elevation that could cause eye pain or be a sign of brain-related disease.
Dr. Lin did not investigate whether the headache improved after correcting the abnormality, so although the result of the study was limited, it was an important study in that it was known that it was necessary to check whether there was something wrong with the eyes if a child complained of a headache. did.
Parents should never take it lightly if their children complain of headaches. Paul G. Matthew, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, said, “Parents often don’t take it seriously when their children complain of occasional, brief headaches, and even think that their children are exaggerating symptoms or faking it.” It is a disease that must be accepted.” If childhood headaches are left unattended, serious consequences such as growth retardation, learning disabilities, and personality changes can occur.
In particular, pediatric migraine can be suspected if the feeling of nausea or dizziness that started suddenly improves within 30 minutes to an hour. Nausea and vomiting are typical symptoms of migraine in children. The chances are even greater if one of your parents has suffered from migraines. If you ignore it lightly because you often do not show symptoms, after puberty, especially in the case of girls, the symptoms become more frequent and the pain becomes stronger, which can make your daily life difficult.
In addition to eye diseases, causes of headaches in children include lack of sleep, anxiety and psychological stress, dehydration, irregular meals, and weather. Dr. Matthew pointed out that this has an important meaning when you think of today’s children who are busy with their studies. This is because it means that the most important thing is to eat regularly and nutritiously at every meal, get enough rest, and get enough sleep to prevent children from suffering from headaches.
Foods containing a lot of chemical seasonings or drinks high in sugar can also cause migraines and dizziness. As physical activity increases, the frequency of migraine symptoms decreases, so children’s continuous outdoor activities and exercise are also important.
Because headaches in children are short-lived, they often do not require medication. Lie down comfortably and place a towel on your forehead or take painkillers to temporarily relieve the pain. However, be careful as taking painkillers for a long time can cause chronic headaches. If you have unusual neurological signs, such as increased headache frequency or increased pain, numbness or difficulty walking, it is a good idea to see a specialist.
2023-07-13 12:03:28
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