[Migraine in a pediatric emergency service]

105 patients were studied, during a one year period, who had attended the Pediatric Emergency Room, because of a migraine or migraine-like attack. In 8 patients, a different final diagnosis was accomplished during the acute episode: cerebral tumor, subaracnoid bleeding, epilepsy and meningitis. The clinical features are described. Aura symptoms and/or neurologic deficit were necessarily more frequent in these patients than those attending a pediatric out-patient clinic. Neurodiagnostic procedures (EEG, lumbar puncture, CT-Scan) were done in 20%; a third part of the patients were observed at the hospital during several hours before discharge, but only 5% required to be admitted. 30% had attended the Emergency Room in previous occasions for the same purpose. Half of the children did not have a history of migraine, therefore a definite diagnostic of migraine would depend of posterior evolution.