When school causes a real headache

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WPVI) -- There are a lot of things for families to think about as kids get ready to head back to school.

But doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, want parents to watch for one more thing - headaches.

They analyzed 5 years of emergency room visits and found complaints about headaches jump 31-percent in the fall.

Tension headaches and migraines are the most common types.

Both can be sparked by the stepped-up pace of a new school year.

"Stress is really a significant player with children and teen's headaches. Parents report that all the time, we see that all the time, and school is the biggest stressor," says neurologist Dr. Ann Paklanis, who led the study.

Dr. Howard Jacobs added, "They don't get their sleep and then they're in a rush to go at breakfast, and they don't get their nutrition."

Adria Houghtby was used to dealing with regular headaches, but the start of school last year triggered a migraine so bad she missed 10 straight days of school.

"I had a lot of catch-up homework to do and a lot of tests to make up and that just added to the stress," she recalls.

Prolonged screen time, and even dehydration can also contribute to headaches.

"Migraines tend to be a little more frequent in boys up to about 12 or 13, but as puberty hits, girls seem to have a lot more migraines, and it's related to the change in hormones," says Dr. Jacobs.

If your child says their head hurts, keep a diary to look for a pattern.

But keeping a daily routine can reduce the stress.

So try to get back into a regular sleep and meal schedule before the school year starts.