A Swedish study involving 131 students ages 10 to 13 and their parents revealed that nearly 30% of preteens report having neck pain and/or headaches. However, only 6% of parents thought their kids had such symptoms. These symptoms were often related to trauma to the head and neck that parents were not aware of. Investigators also noted that headaches were often made worse by long periods of reading or using a computer. Chiropractors are in a position to educate parents about the high levels of neck pain and headaches among preteens, encourage parents to share their symptoms and causes, teach techniques to prevent headaches when reading and using a computer, and provide effective treatment to address these types of symptoms.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, October 2009