Cool Cats, Calm Kids: Relaxation and Stress Management for Young People by Mary L. Williams and Dianne OÕQuinn Burke. For children ages 7 to 12. Impact Publishers, 1996, ISBN 0915166941.

The Brain Pack: An Interactive, Three-Dimensional Exploration of the Mysteries of the Mind by Ron Van Der Meer and Ad Dudink. For children ages 9 to 12. 1996, ISBN 1561387460.

What Do Lions Know About Stress? By Ali Majid. Institute of Preventive Medicine, 1996, ISBN 1879131102.

Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens by Earl Hipp. Free Spirit Publishers, 1995, ISBN 0915793806.

Take a Deep Breath: The Kids' Play-Away Stress Book (Book, Clay and Cookie Cutters) by Laura S. Shelton, Lawrence E. Shapiro and Bob Beckett. 1992.

 

When you have headaches, the first step is to recognize their symptoms and their frequency. What do the headaches feel like, how often are the headaches occurring, and how long has this been going on? Then, when you see your doctor, work to be a partner during the medical diagnosis and treatment process.

Prepare yourself to be an investigative reporter, because, on your first visit, your doctor will need a thorough medical history, which includes:

Does anyone else in your family have headaches?

When do the headaches occur...time of day, time of week?

How often do they occur...once a week, twice a week, once a month?
What are you doing when the headaches occur...in school, participating in a particular activity, at home?
What were you eating or drinking when the headache occurred?

If medication or other approaches are not effectively treating your headaches, then ask to see a specialist. Talk to teachers, school health professionals, parents, friends, and others about your headaches, and explain the pain you are in and how it affects you.

Communication is very important...for you, as a headache sufferer, and for the people you know. There is help, and it starts by taking control and looking for help that works for you and your headaches.

 
 
© 2000 National Headache Foundation. All rights reserved