Headache: what do children and mothers expect from pediatricians?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Clinical Psychology
• Healthcare Communication

Background:

• Headache is a common reason for pediatric medical consultations.
• Over-investigation for serious conditions is frequent despite their rarity.
• Understanding patient and parent expectations is vital for effective pediatric care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess children's and mothers' expectations during pediatric headache consultations.
• To compare these expectations with pediatricians' perceptions.
• To investigate opinions on symptomatic and prophylactic headache treatments.

Main Methods:

• 100 children (10-16 years) with headaches and their mothers completed separate questionnaires.
• 50 pediatricians also responded to a questionnaire regarding their views.
• Questionnaires focused on expectations and treatment preferences for pediatric headaches.

Main Results:

• Children and mothers often have differing expectations from consultations.
• Reassurance and understanding headache causes were key expectations for children and mothers.
• Agreement exists on the necessity of symptomatic treatment for severe pain, but less on prophylactic treatment.

Conclusions:

• Pediatricians may not fully address children's and mothers' expectations, potentially impacting treatment effectiveness.
• Recognizing and incorporating patient/parent expectations is essential for favorable consultation outcomes in pediatric headache cases.
• Improved communication regarding expectations can enhance the diagnostic-therapeutic approach for pediatric headaches.