If your child is dogged by headaches, he or she might also have another problem – frequent sleep disturbances.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that more than two-thirds of children ages 6 to 17 suffering from chronic headaches also have sleep problems, especially getting to sleep.

Headache expert Dr. Kenneth Mack, a Mayo Clinic pediatric neurologist and lead investigator of the report, initiated the study after observing a sleep-headache link in adult patients.

The researchers reviewed the charts of 200 children evaluated at Mayo Clinic between 2001 and 2005. They found that kids with chronic daily headaches had a much greater incidence of sleep disturbance than did kids who had less frequent headaches.

Both of the symptoms can be tackled. For sleep problems, Mack sometimes suggests medications such as melatonin. He also recommends lifestyle changes – such as establishing a nightly bedtime routine.

To treat the headaches, Mack recommends that children stay active, eat regular meals and, in some cases, take antimigraine medications.