School-Age Migraine and Headache Sufferers Head Back to School

Teri Robert has written a very helpful article about going Back To School With Migraines or Headaches. She states:

When your child has a chronic illness, whether it's headaches, Migraines, or a different illness entirely, we really can't afford to put off getting our children ready for school. There are extra steps that need to be taken; extra preparations that need to be made. In the Miss America scholarship pageant program, they have a motto. They call it "the Ps..."

If your kids suffer with Migraine disease or headaches, you may want to read the entire article HERE.

Migranes And Sleep Disorders Linked In Children

Children with a migraine headache are more likely to have sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and lack of sleep, than children without a migraine, according to a research abstract on the effects of headaches on children's sleep patterns presented on Tuesday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).

More on this research study can be found HERE.

Migraine at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago

Here's a synopsis of Migraine research that was presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago April 12–19, 2008.

Migraine frequency linked with women's risk of cardiovascular disease
CHICAGO – New research shows women who have weekly migraine are significantly more likely to have a stroke than those with fewer migraines or no migraine at all, but those with lower migraine frequency may face increased risk of heart attacks. The research was presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008...
To read the entire article click HERE.

Children with migraine at increased risk of sleep disturbances
CHICAGO – Children with migraine are more likely to have sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and lack of sleep, than children without migraine, according to research on the effects of headaches on children’s sleep patterns was presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008...
To read the entire article click HERE.

Overuse of codeine, oxycodone and barbiturates increases risk of chronic migraine
CHICAGO – People who overuse barbiturates and opioids, such as codeine, butalbital, and oxycodone, to treat migraine are at an increased risk of developing chronic migraine, according to research that was presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008. People with chronic migraine have headaches on 15 or more days a month...
To read the entire article click HERE.

New Hope for Migraine Sufferers: Optinose Nasal Delivery of Sumatriptan Proves as Effective as Invasive Subcutantaneous Injection
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, Optinose, the Norwegian drug delivery specialists, today presented Phase I data that could lead to faster, effective and less invasive relief for migraine sufferers. The recently completed trial first demonstrated that Sumatriptan powder delivered intranasally using OptiNose’s 2nd generation device has a rapid onset of action and is as effective as subcutaneously administered Sumatriptan in preventing GTN Challenge Induced EEG changes in migraine sufferers...
To read the entire article click HERE.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.

Discussing Your Condition With Your Kids

Freelance writer, journalist, and former award-winning radio reporter, Lisa A. Phillips, has written an article about talking to your kids about your neurological condition (such as Migraine, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Head Injury, Muscular Dystrophy) for the March/April 2008 Edition of Neurology Now. Phillips says that even if your kids are too young to comprehend everything about your disease, you probably can't conceal it from them. This article discusses the areas below in detail to ensure open communication.

• Be Honest
• Pick the Right Moment
• Stay Calm
• Use Their Questions as Your Guide
• Don't Overwhelm Your Child
• Accentuate the Positive
• Trust Your Child Accept You
• Prepare for Emergencies
• Know that Kids Want to Help
• Encourage Peer Support
• Never Blame Your Child for Your Disorder

Phillips stresses that when talking to young children you should keep it simple. Talking to your older child may be more difficult. Children as young as 9 or 10 often ask about hereditary factors and you should be prepared to address this. Most older kids know how to use the internet and may research your disease on their own. The problem (as most of us with any disease knows) is that a lot of times it's difficult to tell the difference between credible information and misinformation. The author suggests that in addition to talking to your older child, you teach them how to recognize sites that provide accurate information, direct them to reliable sites and monitor what sites they've been visiting.

To read the entire article click HERE.