Published: October 22, 2026 | Updated: October 23, 2026

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

For Maddie Hughes, the first sign something was wrong came during cheer practice.

It was November 2024, and Maddie, then age 13, was doing what she’d done countless times before. Cheer was a big part of her life, alongside school and time with friends. But mid-practice, her vision suddenly began going in and out. Maddie tried to keep practicing. But when nausea and dizziness set in and she could no longer think straight, she knew something wasn’t right.

“I didn’t know what was happening to me,” Maddie said.

Her coaches called her mother, Brittney Hughes, who initially thought her daughter was dehydrated or had pushed herself too hard. When Brittney arrived, she knew it was more serious.

“She couldn’t walk,” Brittney said. “I basically had to carry her out because she just couldn’t see.”

On the way to the emergency room, Brittney asked her daughter simple questions.

“She either couldn’t answer or she would speak very slowly,” Brittney said. “I asked her what her middle name was, and she said she didn’t know.”

Maddie also lost feeling in her hands and feet. Doctors ruled out more serious conditions before determining she was experiencing migraine with aura.

More than a headache

Elizabeth S. Doll, M.D., pediatric neurologist and headache specialist with Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute, said migraine affects about one in 10 children, and about 20% to 30% experience an aura.

An aura can act as a warning sign before or during a migraine, affecting a person’s vision, senses or speech.

For Maddie, that included confusion, sometimes referred to as a “confusional migraine.” Dr. Doll said migraine with aura is the more precise umbrella term.

“It can sometimes be really scary because it can almost resemble a stroke in certain cases,” Dr. Doll said.

An aura typically lasts five to 60 minutes, while the migraine itself can last much longer.

By the time Maddie reached the hospital, the confusion had faded, but the headache lasted several more days, followed by fatigue. Altogether, Maddie felt the effects for about a week.

Migraine attacks returned every three or four months, making for a slow process to determine what treatment was effective.

“You only have one time every three or four months to kind of figure out if the medications are working,” Maddie said. “It’s just trial and error, for sure.”

Finding what works

Maddie began working closely with Dr. Doll to find a treatment that worked.

Their first appointment lasted about an hour. Dr. Doll took time to learn about Maddie’s life beyond her headaches, from school and cheer to friends and mental health.

“For us, it felt like she really did listen to Maddie,” Brittney said.

Dr. Doll describes migraine treatment in three parts: lifestyle factors, prevention and treatment when one occurs.

For Maddie, prevention includes CoQ10 and magnesium supplements. When a migraine begins, she uses sumatriptan nasal spray, which has helped shorten her attacks from a full week to around 48 to 72 hours.

“[Dr. Doll] really takes her time to talk to us and really figure out what’s going well with the medications and what isn’t working. She knows cheer and school are really important to me.”
— Maddie Hughes

Changes to Maddie’s routine are another piece. Heat and lack of sleep can trigger a migraine attack, so Maddie pays closer attention to hydration, meals and rest.

“I think preparation is key,” Dr. Doll said.

Learning to listen

Now a 10th grader at South Oldham High School, Maddie is still able to do what she loves. She cheers about five days a week and stays ahead on schoolwork in case a migraine means missing class or practice.

Managing migraine also has meant learning when not to push herself.

“As somebody who is a straight-A student and a varsity athlete, you are constantly programmed to just push through,” Brittney said. “Unfortunately, when Maddie’s having a migraine, pushing through just isn’t something she can do.”

Finding what works for her has made migraine attacks less disruptive. And as Maddie has learned more about them, she hopes others come away with a better understanding of what they actually are like.

“I think a lot of people assume it’s just a headache,” Maddie said. “When really, it’s a lot more than that.”