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Complementary and alternative treatments for childhood headaches
1Center for Headache and Pain, T33, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. sjtepper@aol.com
Current Pain and Headache Reports
|September 4, 2008
Summary
Parents often seek natural migraine treatments for children, using supplements like magnesium. Evidence for these alternative therapies, including magnesium, coenzyme Q10, and Petasites, is limited and often inconclusive for pediatric migraine care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Parents frequently seek natural migraine treatments for children.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) remedies like herbs, minerals, vitamins, and supplements are commonly used, perceived as safer than prescription drugs.
- Evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of these alternative treatments for pediatric migraines is scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the existing evidence on alternative treatments for pediatric migraine.
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of commonly used supplements and herbs for childhood migraines.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and uncontrolled trials.
- Focused on alternative treatments for pediatric migraine and headache.
Main Results:
- Magnesium is the only alternative treatment with an RCT for pediatric migraine, yielding equivocal results.
- Positive results were observed in uncontrolled trials for magnesium (migraine and tension-type headache).
- Uncontrolled trials showed positive outcomes for coenzyme Q10 and Petasites in preventing pediatric migraine; riboflavin and feverfew lack safety and efficacy data.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence for alternative migraine treatments in children is limited and often based on uncontrolled studies.
- More rigorous research, including RCTs, is needed to establish the safety and efficacy of these interventions.
- Healthcare professionals should exercise caution when recommending OTC supplements for pediatric migraines.
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