Toward the definition of childhood migraine

Donald W Lewis1

  • 1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23509, USA. dlewis@chkd.com

Insights

Updated guidelines for pediatric migraine offer new diagnostic criteria and management strategies. This review covers classification, pathophysiology, and treatment options for childhood migraine.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Headache Medicine

Background:

  • Pediatric migraine diagnosis and management have evolved with new research.
  • Understanding the pathophysiology is key to effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To update the understanding of pediatric migraine.
  • Covering diagnostic criteria, classification, pathophysiology, evaluation, and management.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent literature on pediatric migraine.
  • Analysis of International Headache Society's revised criteria (2004).

Main Results:

  • Revised criteria accommodate developmental changes in children and adolescents.
  • Migraine pathophysiology involves neurochemical cascades and cortical depolarization.
  • Limited role for EEG and neuroimaging in evaluation.
  • Effective acute treatments include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and sumatriptan.
  • Preventive options include flunarizine, topiramate, valproate, levetiracetam, cyproheptadine, and amitriptyline.

Conclusions:

  • Recent literature has significantly reshaped the definition, evaluation, and management of pediatric migraine.
Abstract

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