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Emotional problems and prevalence of medication overuse in pediatric chronic daily headache

Ann Pakalnis1, Catherine Butz, Deborah Splaingard

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Ohio State University, College of Medicine, Columbus 43205, USA. pakalnisa@pediatrics.ohio-state.edu

Journal of Child Neurology
|January 5, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children with chronic daily headaches often experience emotional and behavioral problems, including anxiety and depression. Medication overuse is also common, highlighting the need for comprehensive treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Child Psychology
  • Headache Medicine

Background:

  • Chronic daily headaches (CDH) are a growing concern in children, causing significant disability and family disruption.
  • Emotional disorders and medication overuse can complicate the treatment and prognosis of pediatric headaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents with CDH.
  • To compare these issues with age-matched healthy controls.
  • To evaluate the frequency of medication overuse in the CDH group.

Main Methods:

  • Children and adolescents diagnosed with CDH (International Classification of Headache Disorders-II criteria) and healthy controls were enrolled.
  • Participants completed psychological rating scales, headache diaries, and disability surveys (Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment Survey).
  • Medication overuse was assessed.

Main Results:

  • The study included 70 CDH patients and 57 healthy controls, predominantly female.
  • 60% of CDH patients reported medication overuse prior to treatment.
  • Headache patients exhibited significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Children and adolescents with chronic daily headaches are at increased risk for emotional disorders.
  • Medication overuse is a significant factor in this population.
  • A multisystem treatment approach is recommended for managing chronic daily headaches in children.

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