Archive for headaches
Full-family support sees Hannah and her parents through AVM surgery
Nine-year-old Hannah from Vermont is passionate about skiing; not much keeps her off the slopes. In fact, not much slows her down or dampens her energy, period. So, when she experienced a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM) last spring, she wasn’t sidelined long. Her parents, Katie and Rich, credit Hannah’s remarkable recovery to her vivacious spirit ... Read More about Full-family support sees Hannah and her parents through AVM surgery
Defying the odds: Cruise’s triumph against cavernous malformations and debilitating headaches
As a toddler, Cruise — now 13 — faced a rare cancer diagnosis that came with an 11 percent chance of survival. But with his trademark resilience and strength of spirit, Cruise defied the daunting odds and beat his cancer. The battle left its mark though — in the form of cavernous malformations in his ... Read More about Defying the odds: Cruise’s triumph against cavernous malformations and debilitating headaches
Thinking – and operating – outside the box: Bypassing Saoirse’s aneurysm
Saoirse just turned 3. There was a big to-do for her birthday, complete with family flying to Massachusetts from Ireland for the occasion. The celebration was big because Saoirse has a lot to celebrate. About six months ago, doctors discovered an unstable aneurysm in her brain, and within days she underwent surgery to treat the ... Read More about Thinking – and operating – outside the box: Bypassing Saoirse’s aneurysm
Chronic headaches: Five things families should know
You might think of headaches as an adult problem, but they can affect children and teens, too. In fact, about 20 percent of school-aged kids are prone to headaches, according to the National Headache Foundation. A smaller number of those kids experience chronic headaches, which are defined as headaches that occur 15 or more days ... Read More about Chronic headaches: Five things families should know
Surgery for Chiari malformation: “I was just happy to have an answer”
Abby Buckley loves being active, whether that means hiking, cycling, or playing sports like javelin, shotput, and discus. But in eighth grade, a bad concussion sidelined her — and led to an unexpected diagnosis. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed that she didn’t just have a concussion. She also had a Chiari malformation, a ... Read More about Surgery for Chiari malformation: “I was just happy to have an answer”
Boston Children’s post-COVID clinic cares for those with lasting symptoms
One teenager complains of chronic muscle pain. Another child feels too exhausted to go to school or play sports. Still another can’t shake the feeling of “brain fog” — memory and cognition challenges. Despite their different symptoms, all three patients have one thing in common: They’ve all had COVID-19, and they’re all experiencing lingering symptoms ... Read More about Boston Children’s post-COVID clinic cares for those with lasting symptoms
What it’s like to have brain surgery: Peyton’s story
During the summer before my junior year of high school, I started getting a lot of dull headaches at the base of my head and upper neck. I got so used to them that I built up a tolerance to the pain — I didn’t see them as a big deal, or would make excuses for ... Read More about What it’s like to have brain surgery: Peyton’s story
Chronic headaches in kids: How a psychologist can help your child cope
For many young people, the pain of chronic daily headaches can be compounded by the concern that providers aren’t taking them seriously. Defined as headaches that occur at least 15 days per month for six months or more, chronic daily headaches can be so difficult to manage that some patients may feel that their pain ... Read More about Chronic headaches in kids: How a psychologist can help your child cope
Migraine prevention in children and teens: Weak support for medication
Several medications successfully treat an active migraine. But a review of the medical literature from Boston Children’s Hospital finds only weak evidence that drug treatment prevents migraine in children and adolescents. Only two medications — topiramate and propranolol — showed any difference in preventing migraine in this age group compared with a placebo. Joe Kossowsky ... Read More about Migraine prevention in children and teens: Weak support for medication
Dizziness, vertigo, and balance disorders in children
Dr. Jacob Brodsky, MD, FAAP, is the director of the Balance and Vestibular Program in the Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, as well as an assistant professor in the Department of Otology and Laryngology at Harvard Medical School. Imagine that you wake up one morning and the world around you is spinning rapidly as if ... Read More about Dizziness, vertigo, and balance disorders in children