Monica Coleman, age 11, of Denton, Texas, for her question:

WHAT CAUSES MY HEADACHE?

There are many different kinds of headaches and they have many different causes. Often when a person is excessively tired or tense, or is under severe physical and mental stress, he or she will develop a headache. Sleep, rest and relaxation are the best remedies for headaches of this sort.

Sometimes headaches can result from hunger. This type of headache can be relieved by eating lightly.

Eyestrain also can cause headache. Persons who do not wear glasses when they are needed, or those who wear improperly fitted glasses, strain their eyes.

Perhaps one of the most severe kinds of headache is the migraine or sick headache. This is a specific kind of headache that occurs from time to time. The pain can be severe. Doctors can prescribe medication to ease the pain of migraine headaches.

Headaches are symptoms of many serious diseases. Anyone who has severe headaches that seem to have no cause should consult a doctor.