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Length of screen time fails to impact headache duration in teens
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PHILADELPHIA — The duration and type of screen time had had no impact on the number of days that teenagers had headaches, according to study findings presented at the American Headache Society Annual Scientific Meeting.
“There are limited studies to date assessing the effects of screen use on headache pain,” Raquel Landon, MD, co-director of the Pediatric Headache Clinic at Children's National Medical Center and colleagues wrote.
They surveyed 99 (number that were female = 70) teenagers aged 12 to 17 years (mean age, 14.8 years) on various factors linked to headaches and screen time with an average of 16.66 headache days per month in the 90 days before participating in the survey.
Researchers found “no statistically significant correlation between the type of screen exposure (including TV, computer, cell phone, video games, and/or tablets) or the duration of screen use per day with regards to monthly headache frequency, school attendance or school functioning.”
“Future studies are needed to further elucidate how daily screen utilization impacts pediatric headache and associated disability,” Langdon and colleagues concluded. – by Janel Miller
Reference: Langdon R, et al. Pediatric screen exposure and headache disability category: headache disorders in children and adolescents. Presented at: American Headache Society Annual Scientific Meeting; July 11-14, 2019; Philadelphia.
Disclosures : Healio Primary Care was unable to determine the authors’ relevant financial disclosures prior to publication.