I'm trying to grease up these rusty brain cells of mine and get back to writing the occasional blog post–not a bad thing to do when one has, you know, a blog. I've been working on a post documenting the vacation we took over the holidays, but as the story involves abject humiliation, I've been understandably reluctant. (More on that later. Maybe.) Instead, here's a few random questions, comments, and general wondering-ments.
1. My daughter got a Puff the Magic Dragon book for Christmas, including a sing-along CD. And never mind that I am 37 years old with a mortgage and four children and a PTA membership card–I am unable to listen to that song without blubbering over my lost childhood and bereft dragons. But what in the heck is sealing wax? (Also, please do not tell me that song is actually about drugs. I-have-my-fingers-in-my-ears-and-I-can't-hear-you-la-la-la.)
2. Thanks to my patient and crafty sister-in-law, I'm learning how to crochet. I can't get enough of it! I'm not exactly good at it yet, but I can stitch the heck out of a rectangle. If you know me in real life, congratulations–you're probably getting a scarf this year. Please act happy.
3. Over the holidays I've been plowing through my reading list. This and this were both outstanding, and this was really good, too. This was a fascinating concept, but I thought it came up short at the very end–it's so disappointing when that happens. I'm reading this now, and this is next on the list. What's on yours?
4. American Idol is back underway, and can I just tell you how much I love the "Pants On the Ground" guy from the Atlanta auditions? Here's a great post about him, including his history marching with Dr. King in the '60's. (On the occasion that A Particular Son Of Mine Who Shall Remain Unnamed thinks it might be funny to try the whole droopy-pants thing, I remind him that I have a staple gun in the garage and I'm not afraid to use it.)
5. Does anyone reading this know anything about chronic headaches (possibly migraines) in children? One of my kiddos is struggling with this, but I'm not finding a ton of resources online.
6. Please remember to consider Compassion when you plan your giving for the Haiti crisis. Follow their Twitter feed for helpful updates. While you're at it, see Ree's great giveaway to help raise some more Haiti funds. Another great effort to raise funds is underway here. Whatever you do, please give.
Have a good weekend, and remember to keep praying for our friends in Haiti.
Rocks In My Dryer 
A 16 year old friend that missed too much school for headaches has had an amazing recovery by drinking lots of water! Doctors didn’t know how to help him. Easy thing to try.
Does your child clench or grind his/her teeth. It’s usually an involuntary thing caused by stress…most of the time, the offender has no idea they are even doing that. If so, that can cause some serious and frequent headaches. Hope whatever it is isn’t serious and is resolved soon…headaches are no fun!
I have had migraines since I was little, and here are some things that have helped:
1. I MUST have enough rest.
2. I rarely have caffeine of any sort.
3. I take 400 mg of Riboflavin (vitamin B2) every day.
4. My issues are to some degree hormone-driven, so if none of the above work, you could have that checked out.
5. If your kiddo is having the “fuzzy-eye” thing before the pain starts, make sure they know to tell you then so you can get meds into them. For me, it usually takes about 30 minutes from the eye issues until I have pain, which is just about enough time to get medicine in my system and have it start working.
Dehydration was usually the offender in childhood migraines in our household, too. Some of my husband’s family seem to have migraines related to food additives (like nitrates in processed meats). Hope you can identify the right trigger soon!
Can be lots of food triggers. (My hubbie’s trigger is MSG). Try keeping a food log.
My son had migraines when he was 4. They were horrible as he usually got so sick to his stomach at the same time. Finally I learned that if he took B vitamins everyday, he did not have migraines.
I know many people feel strongly opposed to chiropractors, but if you “believe in them” and have a good one, they usually work with kids. My migraine-style headaches are stopped by a trip to the chiropractor, which has helped when trips to my doctor have not.
Oh I always took Puff the Magic Dragon totally literally and sealing wax is well wax for sealing letters… drip it on and pop your personal seal on it to prove no-one else has opened it in transit… You just about blew me away with the drug thang… I went and had a quick look at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puff,_the_Magic_Dragon
Headaches and the kiddos. Our experiences have been: for my daughter– headaches were tied into stomach issues as a result of food allergies that were wrecking her system. Once the food allergies were dealt with (with a naturopath) the headaches stopped… until she needed eyeglasses.
Our son still has headaches but they are getting better– he had severe ocular motor dysfunction (when the eyes don’t track together well). Severe eye issues can look a lot like ADHD. It is chronically missed by most regular eye exams.
Keeping track of the headaches–when, activity during and before, things eaten during and before, etc… should help pin point cause.
FYI– manufacturers are changing the foods we eat that appear the same. Start checking ingredient lists. Colorants are a big headache trigger but also MSG doesn’t always list as MSG. The other names it can legal appear as are “artificial flavors and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein.” I think there are a few more but those are the most common I think.
Hi,
Has your child had a cold recently?? That’s what caused my son’s headaches for 3 months…. he had a sinus infection.
Alanna
On the radio, I heard Peter or Paul (I forget which one) indignantly deny that Puff is about drugs. He said, “If I wanted to write a song about drugs, I would have written a song that said, ‘drugs are bad, don’t ever do them’ or something like that.”
So, enjoy! I always cry at the end of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. That scene kills me.
I just read Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns and really enjoyed it. A good Southern girl like you will probably enjoy it, too.
I cry every time I hear that song too, and up until right now, for all of my 42 years, I have thought it was CEILING wax. Ha!
When I was in third grade, I had frequent headaches, and it turned out to be stress due to a very demanding teacher (due my own type-A, have-to-please-adults-and-get-everything-asked-of-me-done-correctly personality, I worked way too hard trying to meet all of her demands). Anyway, they disappeared when I went up a grade. I don’t know if there’s a major stressor in your child’s life, but investigating to see if they’re stress-related might be worthwhile. Hope your child gets better!
I *love* Father Brown!! So entertaining! I’m currently reading “Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy.” It’s for my book club, and I’m really enjoying it.
You know what I read over the holidays? “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” just b/c I never had and it was on display at the library. I felt kinda silly reading it at age 30, but I decided I didn’t even care. 🙂
I’ll be curious to hear how “New York” is.
Did you realize that Barbara Curtis’ daughter Maddie is on this season of Idol? So exciting!
http://mommylife.net
Ah, sealing wax! When I was a teenager I used loads of it…you’d light the end of it and let it drip on your envelope (at the seal!) and then imprint it with a brass thingy…mine had a rose pattern. I loved it. That was back in the olden days (sixties/seventies) when people wrote letters.
Oh, and I have donated and have been promoting Compassion on my facebook.
Have you thought about allergy testing for your child? I have dreadful headaches that are allergy-related (with no other typical allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes, etc.).
Guernsey is SUCH a great book. I ended up giving it as a Christmas present because I loved the writing so much. I also enjoyed Prayers for Sale. It was much better than I had expected. I just finished Sarah’s Key. It got a lot of hype, but honestly, I thought the first half of the book was done very well, and then the author switched gears and lost the most interesting part of the plot line.
Good luck with the crocheting. I enjoy it as well, but I’m totally hooked on knitting now. (No pun intended.) Lots of hats and scarves in my family’s future, as well. 🙂
Thanks for the book suggestions. I enjoyed reading “The Forgotten Garden” by Kate Morton recently.
Some good suggestions given for headaches. I was also wondering if you have heard or read anything about artificial sweeteners…aspertane…in sodas and so many other products causing problems.
One of my kids has cyclic vomiting sydrome. It often coincides with migraines, and it’s more common in children, so you may find some more information if you Google that term.
I just finished reading the Guernsey book. (And I mean I literally just finished it minutes ago!) I loved it! What a cute concept and just a delightful read.
I had headaches when i was little, and it took my mom quite some time to figure out that the headaches were because my eyesight was weak, and i needed glasses. Could that be the case with your kid ?
Any book by Laurie R. King is gold to me. I especially like her Mary Russell series. I hesitate to say that it is a Sherlock Holmes based series because that makes many people vow to never touch the books but they are simply fantastic. A strong woman character like you’ve never met before.
adding B and magnesium supplements along with LOTS of water really helps. Even now I reach for extra magnesium before my prescription.
I had migraines as a teen–and still do as an adult and was put on beta blockers…
but I heard something recently. I decided to maybe go gluten free because I saw some studies that indicate there may be a link between gluten and recurrent miscarriages, which I suffer from (actually, those words are a little too glib for what I feel, but…) anyway, when I mentioned going gluten free on my facebook account, a friend said that they went gluten free as a way to treat headaches in her eight year old and it worked.
My boy got that book and CD too and my kids can’t fathom how I know that song or why it reminds me of when I was small… “What you mean you were actually a child once Mum??? No way!!1”
I must be one of the few people on the face of the planet who has never watched American Idol. Never. However, my daughter wanted to watch it this season and, well, it sucked me in. Wednesday night was the first time I’ve ever seen it, but thanks to a couple of the people who got chosen, I guess I’m going to have to watch the whole stinkin’ season (I’m dying to see how Ms. Vonroe, Tennessee does).
Anyway, all that to say, I loved the “Pants on the Ground” guy. That was a dinnertime story at my sister’s the next night. My whole family (yes, my oldest daughter managed to get us all hooked in one night) has been going around singing that since Wednesday. Hilarious.
Just regular (non-food) allergies can cause headaches too. Our 9 yr old adopted daughter had issues and even though she didn’t appear or sound congested the pediatrician could see congestion when she looked up her nose 🙂 All the other things people mentioned too – eyesight issues, food allergies, water. I hadn’t heard the Vitamin B one – going to try that.
I tend to get more of what is called cluster migraines (not so severe I vomit but just a headache that goes on and on for days w/o any relief). The best thing for me in those circumstances is a visit to the chiropractor. It’s gone within an hour!
My brother endured severe migraines as a child, and right up to his early twenties. He started dating (and eventually married) the daughter of our city’s top naturopath, who ran several tests on him and discovered some of his triggers. I’d suggest (like a few others) a food log as well as a trip to the naturopath!
Hi Shannon! When I was in second grade, I had frequent tension headaches. They became more and more frequent until I was having them everyday. My mom tried a whole bunch of different things, but in the end, my teacher made mention of how close I was holding my books to my face. My mom remembered how often she caught me sitting thisclosetotheTV. Turns out . . . guess who was near-sighted? Mom took me to the eye doctor, I got my first pair of glasses and the headaches stopped. Now, if my glasses are stronger (usually in the first couple of days after my prescription is updated) I get those same tension headaches again, but they disappear after my eyes adapt.
Did you google “pediatric migraines”? Because a lot of stuff is popping up.
have you had your child’s eyes checked? maybe it’s simply eyestrain. my son also occasionally has headaches…usually at the same time i do…a result in barometric changes.
funnily enough, Tertia at So Close just asked about this for her sister Mel http://bosombuddies.typepad.com/bosom_buddies/2010/01/causes-of-headaches-in-young-kids.html – maybe between the two sets of comments you’ll find something that helps.
First of all, I still cry at things from my childhood…I hope that’s a healthy thing, LOL. 🙂
About the headaches, not sure of the age of your child, but my son had TERRIBLE headaches and found out he needed his wisdom teeth removed.
Another thought is food…biggie for me. I use to suffer severe headaches when I finally realized I needed to remove all MSG from my diet…it’s in almost everything that is processed and hidden under SEVERAL different names including “natural flavor”…scary.
I bought the complete Father Brown stories for myself for Christmas and plan to start reading it very soon.
btw … I’ve always loved “Puff, The Magic Dragon,” and no, it’s not about drugs.
http://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Headache-Program-Taking/dp/0761125663/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263584156&sr=8-1
This is supposed to be THE book you want.
Two of my daughters have had trouble with chronic headaches. The oldest was sent to the neuro by the md, neuro said lots of teenage girls get headaches from low iron, even if it’s not low enough for MD to put them on iron. He put here on iron and her headaches that she had for months went away. They only cam back if she stopped taking iron.
Our other daughter had headaches, also. Her’s went away after numerous trips to the chiro. It took over a month, if I remember correctly, but they have never returned.
You’re the coolest.
For the record, I remember watching Puff the Magic Dragon, and I literally wailed aloud, weeping and gnashing my teeth. I was very little. I couldn’t help it.
sealing wax is how they used to close letters and such, they melted a little wax, then pressed a ring or something in it to prove who sealed it. You can buy it online and at craft stores to add an elegant or old fashioned air to your letters nowadays (do people actually write those anymore?)
An absolute joy to hear you sing in this place.
You do that, you know.
With every word.
I’ve missed your song.
Much love to you, Shannon…
All’s grace,
Ann
who has a son who crochets like there is no tomorrow (ski masks, anyone?) and carries his work with him everywhere– including Kid’s Club at church. And when I raise my eyebrows as he walks out the door with this *basket* of *blanket* in progress, he says “What, Mom? It’s just for when I am sitting in class listening. I won’t crochet on the games floor or anything.” Oh. Good, son. Because I wouldn’t want you running while you were crocheting and trip and fall or anything! ~grin~ I’ll take a scarf in purple, please. And my smile will be the real deal 🙂
Ah, Puff. I used to listen to that and bawl all the time. Just thinking about it makes me cry. Sweet childhood memories.
Regarding migraines…Dr. Mercola has some helpful things to say here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/16/why-migraines-strike.aspx?source=nl
I TRUST Dr. Mercola…and I have migraines. I HATE thinking of little ones having them. Ugh.
I am so glad that I am not the only one who falls apart over Puff. I couldn’t even listen to it when I was little.
So, I do not think that I have ever posted any comments on your blog but I read your stuff b/c I, too, am a 37yr old with a mortgage, 4 kids and a PTA membership! Anyway – I love to read as well and since you asked I want to recommend reading “Same Kind of Differnt as Me” by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. It is a true story and will impact your life in some way. There is a sequal “What Difference do it Make” that is amazing as well…
I’ve had migraines since I was 7, and 2 of my 3 kids sometimes get headaches. The first thing any Pediatric neurologist will ask about is foods, so keep a food diary and see if there are any patterns. Certain chemical smells bring them on for me, and sleep is a huge factor, as is stress. People had some great suggestions here. The important thing is to keep trying things till you see a big change, whether it’s diet or eyes, or seeing a chiropractor or a neurologist for meds. Because they can go on and on and be harder to treat in the future; the brain gets locked in its response pattern. Good Luck!
Sealing wax is used to seal homemade jams instead of the lids and rings you usually see on Mason jars. My MIL used it. It isn’t recommended anymore, something about botulism. Whatever. 😉 Borrow the movie “Pete’s Dragon” if you really want to understand the song!
Made my donation through Compassion. Thanks for reminding us.
I recently posted something on our blogs about dealing with headaches. I don’t deal with migraines but sometimes my headaches can get pretty intense. I’ve found some natural things that help me on the days when my headaches are really distracting.
http://wholesomewomanhood.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/relief-from-headaches/
Melinda
Didn’t notice if anyone else had mentioned this in regard to headaches – please have your child checked by a qualified dental specialist for TMJ – surprisingly there are many young people suffering from TMJ pain. Especially active young folks – fall on the chin or hit in the head (or falling down from Pants on The Ground!) – can cause problems in alignment.
Been missing you – your blogging is always a surprise and joy –
BTW – I had a rather misspent youth – and was in college when Puff the Magic Dragon was most popular and as far I knew – not about drugs – now that whole schtick about Alice and the one pill makes you smaller thing – definitely about drugs. I think Puff was about –unrequited love that eventually is requited (take THAT English majors!)
I am sorry I don’t have time to read every response so if you have heard this already, I apologize…
I had headaches as a kid til I got glasses (though I think that dehydration like others said is totally valid). I didn’t have whatever the “normal” symptoms of needing glasses. I could see everything fine, but I guess there was strain from going from looking at the board to my paper (or a book) in school that usually triggered them. my perscription was really light recently and now I am just getting old LOL
and I think sealing wax was the wax used to seal envelopes way back when (melt a blob stick it to the envelope and then stamp it with an engraved stamp?) just a thought 🙂
My brother-in-law has had terrible migraines for years…since he was young. He is in the medical field and was talking to a cardiologist who said there are studies out now that many migraines are caused from undiagnosed congenital heart defects. He had a heart MRI and sure enough had two medium sized holes in his heart. Has not had a migraine since he had them fixed. Just a thought.
I’d try extra WATER and keep a food log, in particular looking for MSG (monosodium glutemate) as being a trigger.
If MSG is causing them, better learn to cook (mainly from scratch) and forget Kentucky Fried Chicken (they have it in everything), Braum’s hamburgers, and lots of processed foods. It’ll be hard to find a place that doesn’t use MSG when eating out….but some places are starting to come around (well with at least some dishes). MSG is a trigger for my mother-in-law and MSG causes my husband to swell up, joint aches, cramps and diarrhea. His sisters are developing issues from MSG too.
I had headaches a lot in the 7th grade, and I specifically remember one 6 week period when I had one every single day.
My mom put me on a couple of elimination diets (didn’t help me) and the doc kept me on all kinds of meds.
I ended up visiting an ENT who took me off all the meds, gave me a few coping techniques, and scheduled me for surgery to remove my tonsils and clear out my sinuses. Additionally, I visited the allergist in his office and discovered (and learned to manage) the things that triggered the headaches.
So glad to hear that! Thanks!
Oh, that’s funny. (I totally remember trying the “we must, we must, we must increase our bust” when I was 12. Come to think of it, I should *still* try it!) 😉
Have started reading quite a bit of Chesterton, and I’m fascinated by him. A lot of his work is free on iTunes, in podcast format. A great wait to make housecleaning more enjoyable.
New York is good, but I don’t think it’s as good as Rutherford’s other books.
YES! I didn’t know ahead of time, but then when they did the family profile, I shouted, “I KNOW HER!!!” Very exciting–what a lovely voice.
So glad you wrote this down!
Steph
I have missed you – I agree with Ms Voskamp – I have also missed your lovely song.
I DO want to know, though, as a mother of 4 punks/cherubs/more commonly known as banchees myself, how DO you find the time to READ? I love it and I miss it, but I find that making meals and folding laundry have louder voices…
Good luck with the migraines, lots of great ideas have already been posted. My mother has suffered with migraines since the 2nd grade she is now 55 – I will have to pass some of these suggestions on to her!
Shannon–long time lurker here. glad you’re going to be blogging more, i’ve missed you. thanks for the reading fodder. i first knew we could be friends when i read your book list. read “Guernsey” over the holidays too. loved it. if you don’t mind slow moving try some Wendell Berry. Hannah Coulter, Jayber Crow, and That Distant Land are all wonderful. praying you’ll find some relief for your little one.
Lots of good suggestions of what could be causing the headaches. I’m not trying to scare you but a MRI might be in order. I work with someone whose young grandson kept having headaches and he had a tumor. Evidently brain tumors are pretty common in youngsters. I hope you find out what’s causing them soon and that it works out well.
I had chronic migraines from 5th grade through 9th grade. I would get the spotty vision, tunnel vision, crashing headache, and extreme sensitivity to light and noise. My doctor chalked it up to puberty messing up my system. We had prescription pain meds, but they just made me throw up. I just suffered though. If I had to do it over, I would definitely have gone to my chiropractor. It is amazing what a pinched nerve or a misaligned spine can do to your body!
I love Father Brown! 🙂 Have you read “The Man Who Was Thursday”? And I thought sealing wax was what they used to seal documents, letters, etc.
I recently spoke to my ped. about the chronic headaches my 5 yo son had been experiencing starting around 4.5. His first tactic was to treat him for allergies! (He did also examine him and noted several signs of allergies like undereye circles, enlarged sinuses, etc) We had him on children’s zyrtec thru the fall and he rarely had any complaint of a headache. I had kept a headache log for the 6 mos prior to our appt. and was recording all info I could give–ie time they hit, any additional symptoms, his description of the pain location, etc. Our dr. said we would treat for allergies first and if the headaches were still occurring regularly, we would examine the possibility of migraines.
i love Puff the Magic dragon! and i’m 35:)
I can see that others have told you what sealing wax is, so I won’t bother. But I will say that it is indeed fancy stuff.
Shannon–another post about the headaches. Sorry if it’s info overload, but a friend of mine told me tonight that she put her little one on a Gluten Free diet because he had tested positive for gluten sensitivity. Shortly thereafter-wards they realized he was no longer having migraines. Blessings.
Great children’s book
I had migraines all the time when I little. After a doctor’s appointment and several tests later it was determined that I was lactose intolerant and the that is what was causing my migraines. I was taken off all milk products for about 6m to a year and then slowly reintroduced. I still have to watch my lactose intake, but I am mostly migraine free now (maybe once a year now).
Loved Guernsey as well. *The Help* by Kathryn Stockett is a MUST read. It pulled me in on the first page.
Masterful character development, fascinating plot. Probably my favorite book of the year. Enjoy!
Shannon, is your son taking any vitamin supplements? I have struggled with migraines most of my life, up until about 5 years ago. I realized that no matter the multi-vitamin I took, they gave me migraines. I’ve struggled with them since I was a teenager. Once I stopped taking multi-vitamins they magically stopped. Crazy I know. The only way I get my vitamins now is through a healthy diet. A little more challenging, but compared to migraines, a breeze.
My Chris won’t let the Puff the Magic Dragon song be sung in his presence. It makes him very, very sad!! And he’s almost 40 (Jan 27)!
My newphew struggled with those headaches, I will ask my sis in law and get back with you, Shannon.
BTW, I sent a friend request to you on FB (my name is Holly Smith) and I probably forgot to tell you who I was. 🙂
I just finished reading the original Cheaper by the Dozen books, Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on their Toes, which are nothing like the movies- and I liked the movie versions with Steve Martin. They’re old, but side-splittingly funny and heartwarming. Definite gems ( :
Good input here. Both my suggestions are already here!!
Sealing wax – to seal letters before the lick’em and stick’em goo was developed. See also: Pride & Prejudice
Headaches – I had doozies of headaches — and I was sick all the time. My mom got sick of me being sick all the time so my pediatrician suggested an allergist. Allergy induced sinus infections are killer!! very very painful – and when you are a kid you don’t know the difference between a sinus infection and a headache – you only know that it hurts.
Also – as a teenager I was addicted to Mountain Dew – my allergy doctor told me to quit. I went cold turkey and suffered the most terrible, ferocious headaches as my body learned to wean itself off of the caffeine. So it’s possible that he OD’d on caffeine over the holidays and is withdrawing from it now… thus the headaches.
Hi I’m a dietetics student and I just learned about migraines and preventions. Often it is a food trigger – I used to get them from frozen peas – or a particular smell so it may be helpful to track where he goes and what he eats to figure out what triggers them and avoid the trigger. Also there is evidence that B12 and magnesium supplement will prevent migraines. However you need to be taking the supplements on a regular basis for them to work. I would talk to your doctor before trying it to come up with a safe dosage – I think you have to be taking more than the RDA but I’m not exactly sure how much more. I have a friend who used get migraines a couple of times a week and nothing worked until she tried Mg and B12 and now she only gets them a couple of times a year! Anyway, hope this helps.
Just finished reading The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells. Enjoyed it. Night, by Elie Weisel. Excellent, but very hard. Focus is more on how the holocaust effected the people in the camps vs. the actual atrocities. Although they can’t be avoided completely. Currently reading Skeletons at the Feast, by Chris Bohjalian. Don’t know what to think yet. May even be harder than Night in some ways. Also, recently read The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! Have I mentioned that I loved it? Past favorites are The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls. Fascinating, and almost unbelievable autobiography. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon, and both novels by Jonathan Safran Foer. OK- I’ll stop now. 🙂 Thanks for your suggestions. I’ve got them on my “to-read” shelf.
Oh, by the way. I had Puff the Magic Dragon wallpaper as a kid. How jealous are you?
About headaches – I agree with the food log people. I finally figured out that all my bad headaches were food allergies. If I eat anything pickled, I get a horrible headache. On the other hand, I can eat tuna salad with pickle pieces – they’re diluted amongst the tuna I guess. But when I split a whole jar of pickled okra (YUM!!!!) with my in-laws, I had the worst headache of my life.
Hello-
I am new here, in fact so new I am not even sure how to join in these communities and I just clicked on some of the recommended friends..(;
By the way I am looking for fledgling photography buffs and ebayers.
Moving on .. My daughter had and I still have Chronic headaches. Write to me if you have a chance. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks trying to find out the cause. I left with a headache..LOL
I developed horrible migraines in my pre-teen/early teen years, turned out to be a milk protein allergy (as opposed to a lactose intolerance) ended up having to cut out all dairy eventually. I’m no longer allergic to milk (whoo-hoo!) but when I was something as simple as a piece of cheese could put me in bed with a horrible migraine – so… it might be worth checking out! Hope you figure it out soon.
I have heard so many good things about the Guernsey Literary Society book. I know I have it somewhere. We’ve just moved, so finding it may be a trial…but I need to! I’m also reading The Book That Changed My Life, and Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian.
I suffer from headache now, I have since middle school – a LOT is stress, a lot is hormonal, and a lot is food stuff. I keep a log daily of when I get headaches, what I ate, what I was feeling at the time (stressed, tired , upset etc.) I was able to see patterns in my headaches.
Migraines can be hereditary and also it can be triggered because of the food that is eaten. I just let myself rest for a while and free myself from stress.
Shannon, has anyone mentioned MSG additive in much of today’s foods. Only the salty ones if I understand right. I have a sensitivity to it. My daughter’s friend is allergic to it and it brings on migraines if she eats it at all. Many of the fast foods and chain restaurants and packaged foods on the shelves throw it in. It does have to be shown on the ingredient labels – nasty stuff!
Howdy– First time I’ve ever seen your blog and I LIKE IT! Constant headaches: A girl I knew in high school had them and found out she was allergic to chocolate. True story–poor girl. So maybe it’s an allergy?
Migraines are caused by so many different things! You should take him to the doctor so that they can trial & error to find out the cause. You may not like that answer, but it is honestly the only way to find out the source. It could be anything from sinus problems, eye-sight issues, to teething. It could be something very minor that can be easily treated, but it may be something very very serious (not trying to scare you). But for your child’s sake, ask his doctor to evaluate it.
It would be helpful if you could keep a journal of when he gets his headaches along with what he was doing/eating that day. That will help the doctor in determining the possible causes.
Hi Shannon,
I live in Oklahoma also and enjoy reading your blog. It’s great hearing from another Oklahoman. My 8 year old son suffers from migraine headaches. We had alot of problems last year with these headaches. His headaches are mostly allergy/sinus induced. Unfortunately, he has inherited this from me. Normally, when he complains about the headaches we treat them with aleve. His doctor said that this is the main ingredient in one of the commonly prescribed migraine medications. I try to get him to drink as much water as he can and sometimes other allergy/sinus medicine is needed. He has some food allergy issues so I try to monitor his eating and when he has a headache note what he has eaten. Then we try to avoid these foods. Additives, food dyes and preservatives in food are often the culprits. Occasionally, the lights in his school bring on a headache or make an existing one worse. I also had his eyes checked just to make sure he wasn’t having vision problems. I hope this information helps you.
Red 40 food dye is my headache trigger. My son also has a bad reaction to it.
I didn’t read down through the comments to see if anybody suggested this, but my brother had horrible headaches growing up (maybe 12 years old)…finally figured out he needed glasses! Huge surprise because neither of my parents or my older brother or I wear them.
Hi there, I was just having a conversation about a friend’s son having migraines as a child. After realizing that it would happen every Monday (which was when he had lunch and art class–both in the basement of the school), she asked the school for an air test quality.
Low and behold, it was the asbestos tiling UNDER the regular tile mixed with some other issue in the pipes overhead that were emitting fumes, thus causing his migraines.
Something to think about, hope this helps!
My daughter had headaches frequently when she was young, but we never pinned a trigger (she and I both get pressure headaches when the weather changes). But, I second the food trigger. A good friend of mine is triggered by onions but I have a student who is very sensitive to MSG.
Do your kids consume “sugar free” products? Anything with artificial sweeteners, aspartame in particular, triggers a migraine with me. I spent most of junior high and high school with a migraine everyday after lunch because I was drinking diet sodas and had no idea that they could be a trigger. I know many, many people who’s doctors have had them avoid artificial sweeteners for the same reason.
Hi,
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I enjoy your writings. I have no special info on migraines. I do, however, have something that can help with the topic of this post: Remembering. I use Evernote. It is a free clip, write, sort, and save tool that works on your computer, netbook or smartphone. I put everything in Evernote. I even used it to organize my wedding in May. I wrote a piece about it here: http://www.organize-more-stress-less.com/home/2010/1/13/remembering-the-name-of-that-wine.html. And you can find them at http://www.evernote.com. And yes, it is really FREE.