Ready or Not, It’s Back to School Time with Migraine

Ready or not, it’s time to head back to school! This time tends to be a mixed bag of nerves and excitement as kids, teachers, and parents transition from the slower days of summer to the hectic schedules of the school year. For families who live with migraine, this time of the year brings added challenges.

As a mom with migraine, I have two teenage daughters who also have migraine. I can tell you that the first few weeks of the school year are always incredibly draining in our household. This time of the year inevitably makes migraine worse for all of us. For those families out there going through similar challenges right now, I put together a few reminders that I hope can help as we all muddle our way through.

It feels hard because it is hard

It’s essential to recognize that it’s not just your imagination that things feel harder right now. Many kids experience an increase in migraine attacks at the start of the school year. There are many reasons for this…

• The migraine brain demands consistency, and this time of the year, our bodies are quite literally being thrown through a loop. We’re often having to adjust our sleep schedules (which may mean cutting off hours of sleep). Our meal schedules are adjusted according to school schedules and after-school activities. The weather and daylight hours, which dictate our circadian rhythms, are also changing right now.
• The sensory overload of being physically present in the school building can also be triggering. Bright lights, loud noises, crowds and commotion, uncontrollable temperatures, etc. The inability to control their environments is incredibly taxing on kids with migraine.
• In addition, so much about the new school year brings on anxiety and stress—both of which are often triggers for those with migraine. The unknowns about schedules and logistics, navigating friendships, learning expectations in the classroom, managing school work, etc.—it’s A LOT!

To put it short, there is a lot going on! So remember, if it feels hard right now, it’s because IT IS. Know that this is a time of transition, and each day will hopefully get a little bit easier.

Flexibility is key

Sometimes, it’s easy for us to get caught up focusing on the struggle. But remember that there are things we CAN do to help our children. Making small tweaks may not completely solve all the struggles, but they can help make days a bit more bearable.

This might mean talking with your child’s teachers and school administrators about adjusting certain parts of their schedules to allow for short breaks. It could involve discussing changes or additions to treatment options with their doctor. Sometimes, easing into all of the changes slowly and taking one thing at a time as it comes up can make things go a bit more smoothly.

For one of my daughters, this means discussing with her teachers the possibility of having snacks throughout the day and visiting the nurse to rest if needed. For my other daughter, who has a 504 plan for migraine, we worked with her school to arrange a study hall mid-day so she can take a short break and recharge on days she needs it most. These little changes don’t necessarily stop or prevent my kids’ migraine attacks, but they help them feel more in control of their health, and mentally, it eases some of the stress of being away from home while not feeling well.

Rest is important

This reminder is for both kids and parents! Schedule downtime and rest. It can be tempting this time of the year to want to engage in all the fun back-to-school activities. My kids both always want to join EVERYTHING this time of the year! It’s hard for them to see their peers being able to do things without limitation. But the unfortunate reality is that kids with migraine need to prioritize rest, first and foremost. The first few weekends of school, we try to keep our schedules clear so they can have as much downtime as possible. What we all really need most right now is relaxing time to give our brains and bodies a much-needed sensory break and a chance to recover.

Parents: Be kind to yourselves, too

As parents, we may not be the ones actually going back to school, but we are feeling so much of what our kids feel. I saw a quote recently that said, “As parents, we can only be as happy as our least happy child.” Isn’t that the truth?! We worry for our kids constantly, and we deeply feel the intense stress that often comes along with needing to advocate for them. There is nothing more upsetting than watching your child in pain and feeling helpless. So make sure to put “you” on the priority list and take some time to take care of yourself, too!

For those who struggle this time of year, know you are not alone. It is a challenging time, both mentally and physically. Before long, you will hopefully be back in the swing of things with a solid routine. So dust off the backpacks and sharpen those pencils…your kids have got this, and so do you!

For more tips on managing the school year with migraine, please read our blog: 6 Tips for Heading Back to School with Migraine. And to learn more about managing migraine for children and adolescents, visit our website pages: Migraine in Children, Migraine in Adolescents. Watch our videos on YouTube:  Migraine in Children and Migraine in Adolescents.

Let Us Know…

Do you have a child in school who has migraine? If so, what steps have you taken to help your child attend school and thrive there? Have you ever formally requested accommodations or created a 504 plan? If so, which accommodations have been requested?