To qualify under IDEA, a student must meet eligibility criteria in one of thirteen specific disability categories. Those students whose migraine headaches adversely affect their educational performance may benefit from special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Time resting in the health office might lessen the discomfort. Students may also have difficulty concentrating and attending in class due to discomfort. Educational ImplicationsĬhildren with migraines may be absent from school frequently which can affect their academic performance. Identifying and avoiding triggers, as well as learning simple biofeedback techniques, alleviate symptoms for a number of people. In addition to medications, relaxation training, biofeedback training and cognitive behavioral therapy prove helpful for some. Treatment can include both relief of the symptoms and the prevention of future headaches.

Lightheadedness, sometimes followed by fainting.

Pain that has a pulsating, throbbing quality.

Pain on one side or both sides of the head.

Some people have migraines several times a month while others have them much less often. When untreated, a migraine usually lasts from four to 72 hours, but the frequency with which headaches occur varies from person to person. Common migraine triggers may include some foods, skipping meals, food additives, highly caffeinated beverages, stress, bright lights, sun glare, missing sleep, too much sleep and a change of weather or barometric pressure. Genetics and environmental factors appear to play a role in migraines.

(Migraines in Children and Adolescents, 2009.) As chi ldren increase in age, more girls than boys develop these headaches. Migraines affect about 2 percent of children by age 7 and about 7 to 10 percent of children and adolescents by age 15. After a migraine, some people feel drained, while others report feeling mildly elated.

Some migraines are preceded or accompanied by a sensory warning symptom (aura), such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in an arm or leg. A migraine is a severe, throbbing headache that may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

504 plan accommodations for migraines