HHS HealthBeat (May 01, 2006)

Kids' headaches

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Headaches in kids can be signs of trouble.

Researcher Tara Strine of HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at parents' reports in 2003 of whether their children had frequent or severe headaches. Her study was in the American Academy of Pediatrics' journal, Pediatrics.

Kids with headaches were more likely to have emotional and social problems including trouble concentrating and getting along with other kids. And headaches were common:

"Six-point-seven percent, or approximately 3.7 million children, experienced frequent or severe headaches in the past 12 months." (eight seconds)

Strine says professional help is a wise choice. Kids also can talk with parents or, if not a parent, school counselors, about stresses in their lives. And kids can do some things themselves – among them, deep breathing and muscle relaxation.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: August, 15 2006