Headaches in children and adolescents. Classification and recommendations

Headaches in children and adolescents are more common than generally appreciated, and even an experienced clinician may have difficulty determining whether the pain is organic or functional. As an aid to proper diagnosis, headaches can be classified into four groups, each with a distinctive time-related pattern that provides a starting point for recognition of a specific syndrome. In most cases, thorough history taking and physical examination plus selected laboratory tests guide the physician to the correct diagnosis.