Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Disappointing news about testing...

I never really even considered that as a possibility until recently, and now it makes so much sense! Thanks.

I had migraines as a kid. They went away about the time I got out of elementary school. I always figured that was because of some hormonal change, but maybe they stopped because of the increased challenge that middle school presented to me.

That I'm having migraines again now, some 25-30 years later--what does that mean then?

Anyway, I just wanted to chime in that I wouldn't take migraines or stomachaches lightly.

K-

Really? Your DD, too? This is really fascinating. I'm just kicking myself for not really thinking about this earlier. DD does tend to internalize things and put pressure on herself, but I never made the connection.

I think the same may be true for my DD in terms of her early years. She went to 4K-1st at a private school that offers a more challenging curriculum (the kids work a year ahead).

You, too? Does anyone know if there is any research connecting giftedness and migraines?

I asked our pediatrician if she thought it could be hormonal, but she said she didn't think so. I can't remember now what her reasons were, though. One of the first questions she asked us, though, was how school was going.

We are definitely going to take it seriously.

LOL! Your girls seem to be a lot like mine. DD9 is my rule follower (the internalizer). DD6 doesn't really try to get out of work (yet), but she definitely goes mentally AWOL on tasks that are repetitive or boring for her. I guess her way of escaping is more mental rather than physical.

It makes sense that there's some connection with GTness, though I haven't seen any specific studies. The increased sensitivity of GT kids--particularly to stress--combined with the increased stress in the lives of underchallenged GT kids seems likely to make them migraine targets. (or at least more likely than ND kids, anyway...)

Migraines also run in families, just as GTness does. My mom and uncle have migraines, and though I don't know for sure, I'd guess both are probably vanilla GT or MG, perhaps higher. I also know that if one or more of your parents have migraines, chances are you will have them, too. (My sister and I both get them, and we were both GT kids.)

Dunno if that helps...

I googled migraine and gifted children and found these things--though I don't vouch for my sources. This is the Internet, and I'm not doing any fact-checking, plus some may be multiple citations of the same basic source. I'm not looking too closely...

http://www.riage.org/perfectionism.html (par. 2 especially)

http://stuartbuck.blogspot.com/2004/04/gifted-children.html (the link didn't work, so this one is really questionable...)

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/Committee/eet_ctte/completed_inquiries/1999-02/gifted/report/c02.doc (see esp. the intro and section 2.9.)

http://books.google.com/books?id=QD...pQwx&sig=t7oRr7GTZ-9R5eeKhXtrSGcw98g

Basically, it looks like it's accepted as fact that perfectionism is more common in GT kids than ND kids, and one of the commonly accepted symptoms of perfectionism is migraine. Ergo, GT kids get migraines more than most kids.

Makes sense, I think. Though I'm not sure it's *just* the perfectionism that causes the migraines. Other stresses--like boredom--would hit even GT kids who aren't perfectionists. I'm betting those are a factor, too.

FWIW...

"I had migraines as a kid. They went away about the time I got out of elementary school. I always figured that was because of some hormonal change, but maybe they stopped because of the increased challenge that middle school presented to me.

That I'm having migraines again now, some 25-30 years later--what does that mean then?"

Kriston,
Allergies can also kick off migraines. Any chance you could be allergic to elementary school teachers?

HEE HEE HEE

Incog

ROFL!

Today I think I'm allergic to elementary students, or at least to the bad attitude that can sometimes accompany them (and that definitely accompanied mine today!). Argh.

Oh Dottie Dear! It's called 'curriculum compacting' - hee hee hee! Your DD11 is a take-charge kind of kid.

Smiles,
Grinity