Emma’s Migraine Story: So Much More than Just a Headache

Emma’s migraine story began when she started experiencing migraine attacks in the first grade. By winter of fourth grade, she was missing a significant amount of school due to her migraine disease. She was moved into online school. This was not an ideal situation for a child already coping with the challenges of the pandemic.

Emma is a very physically active little girl with thriving friendships at school, her extracurricular activities and in her neighborhood. She became isolated because of her migraine attacks. She became limited in the activities that bring her so much joy. It was migraine that decided if she could go to school, dance, tumbling, tennis, golf or play outside with friends.

The migraine attacks took a toll on both her physical and emotional well-being. Emma was frustrated by the seclusion, boredom and the lack of understanding about her condition. She will tell you, “Migraine attacks are so much more than just a headache!” She experiences intense head pain and nausea accompanied by aura and vision changes (on one occurrence she went completely blind for 30-45 second intervals). One of her migraine attacks lasted for nearly three weeks without abatement. They are sometimes accompanied by bouts of insomnia.

Thanks to a caring and skilled physician and supportive school teachers and administrators, Emma is now able to return to school and her extracurricular activities. Her migraine attacks are becoming easier for her to manage. The accommodations made by her elementary school have been key for her regaining control of her migraine disease and her life.

To hear more about Emma and other children’s experiences with migraine, visit: Growing Up With Migraine >>