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Primary headaches in childhood--a population-based study

Marco A Arruda1, Vincenzo Guidetti, Federica Galli

  • 1Glia Institute, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil. arruda@institutoglia.com.br

Cephalalgia : an International Journal of Headache
|August 18, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Primary headaches, including migraine and tension-type headache, are common in pre-adolescent children. Probable diagnoses occurred more frequently than confirmed diagnoses, with elevated medical consultation rates observed.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Primary headaches are a significant health concern in children.
  • Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of headaches in pre-adolescents is crucial for early diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the prevalence of primary headaches in pre-adolescent children (aged 5-12 years).
  • To determine headache frequency and treatment patterns in this pediatric population.
  • To classify headache types using the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 1994 pre-adolescent children (aged 5-12 years).
  • Parents were interviewed by a pediatric headache specialist using a standardized questionnaire.
  • Headaches were classified according to the Second Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, with mutually-exclusive diagnoses.

Main Results:

  • The overall prevalence of migraine was 3.76%, with probable migraine occurring at a significantly higher rate (17.1%).
  • Chronic migraine (CM) affected 0.8% of children. Episodic tension-type headache (ETTH) prevalence was 2.3% (infrequent) and 1.6% (frequent), with probable TTH at 13.5%.
  • A high proportion of children with migraine, especially CM (93.7%), had consulted a medical doctor.

Conclusions:

  • Primary headaches are highly prevalent in young children.
  • Probable headache diagnoses are more common than definitive diagnoses in this age group.
  • Elevated consultation rates suggest significant impact and awareness of headache conditions among parents and children.

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