Expert: Christine D. DeLoatch, MA CCC-SLP - 9/30/2008

Question
First of all, Thanks for all of your information.  My ten year old daughter has suffered from migraines for years now.  They diagnosed her last yr with migraines at neurologist. Her peditrician later diagnosed her with ADD.  My daughter also has a reading comprehension problem.  I know this can be related to ADD but she is extremely behind on her reading level.  I only give her medication for her ADD.  I am afraid to have a ten yr old on two types of daily meds.  She just asked me a few min ago was something wrong with her.  Do you think that her headaches and reading comprehension prob can be related to her ADD and a possible misdiagnose with migraines is possible. What other information canu give me on this.  Thanks.

Answer
Dear Shenetha,

Thanks for asking me your question.  I apologize for the delay in my response. E-mail service was down for a week.  

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking me.  How many years has your daughter been experiencing Migraines?  Two years?  Five years?  Children with migraines are unusual.  What symptoms does she present with?  Does she see an aura?  Does she have pain on one side of the head?  Does she have light and sound sensitivity?  Does she have abdominal migraines?  Has she started her menstrual cycle yet?  

What medication is she taking for ADD. Does she have hyperactivity or is she just inattentive?  Does she have a diagnosed learning disability in reading -  Is she receiving resource support with an IEP in school?  

Since the ADD medication was prescribed, have you noticed any change in the number or intensity of her migraine headaches?  When is the medication for ADD administered and how often?  Do you give her medication on the weekends?  

I understand that you are concerned with the physical health of you daughter, However, I urge you to also consider her emotional well being.  Children, especially girls with ADD, often are more emotionally intense than boys. She may become more overwhelmed and have a harder time focusing if she is in pain.

I take it that they are interested in giving you daughter a medication to take daily to prevent the migraines?  I am taking a medication for that reason.  I have been taking the same medication for 7 years with no change in the dosage.  It is only a prevention medication. I do have a few breakthrough migraines - but not severe.  

Have you ever kept a migraine diary to see if any migraines are related to foods or allergies?  

I would love to help you sort this out, but I would need a lot more information to do that.  

Each child is unique - and depending on how the body reacts tells professionals what type of intervention is needed.  Sometimes other types of intervention can be used that is not medication related. When your daughter gets a migraine - are you using ice packs to help with the pain?  Are you giving her just over-the-counter remedies?  How often do you have to give her over-the-counter remedies for her headaches?  

Your daughter is 10.  I suggest you be really honest with her and talk to her about her body and her brain.  Some people's brains are really good at learning math, and some are not.  Hers is not too good a learning to read.  Tell her she has other 'gifts.'  

Tell her she is special for just who she is.  Tell her no one is perfect.  The sooner she learns to accept who she is the easier life will be for her.  Talk to her about animals - like the giraffe.  God gave him a long neck so he could reach the tree tops, but man does he have to work hard to bend down to get some water from a lake.  She has to work hard at reading.  

Please feel free to get back to me with the answers to those questions so I can give you other suggestions regarding care for your daughter.  

Many Blessings to you.

Christine