By Stephanie Taylor, Intimate Health Expert of Kegel8

In recent news, a concerned father was horrified to learn that his daughter’s school was marking her absence as ‘unauthorised’ when they learned she was missing school for period cramps.

Appalled by the school’s response, Marcus Alleyne has started a petition titled ‘Period Pains (dysmenorrhea) need to be a legitimate reason for absence in schools’. This has since caused a media stir and already got over 30,000 signatures – less than 20,000 from its target – as many took to the comments section, and social media, to praise the protective father.

Dysmenorrhea can cause women intense pain in normal circumstances, but for those with yet undiagnosed conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or fibroids, the pain can often be hard to bare.

For young women who have just started experiencing this new pain and are finding out about their changing body, this can be a very confusing time. As adults we learn to navigate such pain a little more, but for young girls, already feeling embarrassed and stressed about leaking, sanitary products and going to the toilet during lessons, time off school is apt.

Particularly as between the ages of 15-17, prime time for menstruation to begin, a young woman’s pain threshold decreases. This makes the cramping even more severe for this age group. Not only can this cause discomfort in the body, but this is likely to make it hard for young women to focus on their schoolwork, considering a study found 40 percent of women experience premenstrual symptoms including a lack of concentration.

Period pain days off should be introduced to put young women at ease and help them feel more confident in making decisions about their own bodies. If we normalise discussions about menstruation and the struggles that everyday women can face in their lives, other positive change will ensue.

Schools should be better equipped for the struggles that AFAB students can face, considering that around half of their school’s population will be in need of these resources. From days off, to supplying free sanitary products and aids for cramping pain – there is far more that can be done.

Until this point is reached, here are a few tips for young girls to calm the pains they’re experiencing –

Warm compresses/hot water bottles – Application to the lower abdomen will significantly reduce the pain, even if it is temporarily. Heat helps the muscles to relax and can relieve some of the tension in your tummy.
Bananas – An easy reliever to find around your home. Bananas are bursting with magnesium which is known to reduce the severity of cramps.
Pain killers – The oldest trick in the book! Ibuprofens and other over-the-counter remedies are anti-inflammatory, so can calm the pain by slowing the production of prostaglandins (the root of the tissue pain).
Light exercise – Though it may feel like the last thing you want to do exercise can be one of the biggest relievers. Even just for a distraction, this can really take your mind off things, however the endorphins that it releases will physically calm your cramps, too.