How children and parents evaluate the Headache Centre's intervention

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Headache Medicine
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Limited research exists on pediatric headache patient and parent satisfaction with treatments.
• Adult headache patient satisfaction is well-documented, highlighting a research gap in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the outcomes of a Headache Centre's intervention for children and adolescents.
• To analyze the evolution of headaches in patients up to age 16 and their parents' perspectives.

Main Methods:

• Follow-up survey of outpatients with episodic primary headache (International Classification of Headache Disorders 2nd edition criteria).
• Study included patients first seen in 2005-2006 and at least one parent.
• Data collected via telephone interviews using a specific questionnaire over a 1-3 year follow-up period.

Main Results:

• 84 pediatric patients (mean age 12.9 years) with primary headache types (migraine, tension-type) were analyzed.
• 70% of patients reported headache improvement, with significant decreases in frequency over severity.
• Parents (77%) perceived the Headache Centre's intervention as helpful in managing their children's headaches.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric headache generally has a favorable prognosis, with parent-reported effectiveness of specialized interventions.
• Identifying and addressing trigger factors like stress and academic pressure is crucial.
• Continued therapeutic focus is needed for the minority of patients experiencing worsening headaches to prevent adult progression.