Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
10:39

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache

Published on: June 2, 2014

Headaches in children

Shannon E Babineau1, Mark W Green

  • 1Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. shannon.babineau@mssm.edu

Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.)
|August 8, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric headaches, especially migraines, differ from adult presentations and can be underdiagnosed. Diagnosis and treatment require adapted approaches for children, focusing on biobehavioral methods and modified adult medications.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Headache Medicine

Background:

  • Pediatric headaches are common but frequently underdiagnosed.
  • Primary headache syndromes, particularly migraine, exhibit distinct characteristics in children compared to adults.
  • Existing classification criteria for pediatric headaches are often insufficient, complicating diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To delineate the epidemiological, clinical presentation, and therapeutic distinctions between pediatric and adult headaches.
  • To propose revised classifications for pediatric migraine and ophthalmoplegic migraine.
  • To re-evaluate the differentiation between basilar migraine and migraine with aura in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative review of pediatric and adult headache epidemiology.
  • Analysis of diagnostic criteria and classification systems for pediatric headache disorders.
  • Evaluation of current treatment strategies for pediatric headaches, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.

Main Results:

  • New classifications are proposed for pediatric migraine and ophthalmoplegic migraine.
  • The distinction between basilar migraine and migraine with aura is re-examined.
  • Significant differences in presentation and diagnosis challenges are noted in pediatric versus adult headache sufferers.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric headache is a prevalent, yet often overlooked, condition.
  • Migraine and other primary headache syndromes manifest uniquely in children.
  • Effective management involves biobehavioral strategies and tailored application of adult treatment protocols.
Abstract

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