Headache and acute illness in children.
Journal of Child Neurology
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Children experiencing headaches, especially those with fever or a family history of migraine, may be at higher risk for developing future migraines. Further research is needed to confirm this link.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Clinical Epidemiology
Background:
- Headaches are a common complaint in children presenting to walk-in clinics.
- The relationship between acute illness, fever, and headache characteristics in children requires further investigation.
- Understanding headache precursors is crucial for early diagnosis and management of conditions like migraine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fever and headache characteristics in children.
- To explore factors associated with headache intensity and type in a pediatric population.
- To examine the prevalence of migraine family history in children with headaches and its potential link to acute illness.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study matching 37 children with headaches to 37 headache-free controls.
- Data collection included body temperature, pain characteristics (rhythmic vs. nonrhythmic, unilateral vs. bilateral), headache-exacerbating factors, and family history of migraine.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare groups and identify significant associations.
Main Results:
- A higher percentage of children with headaches had a temperature above 38°C compared to controls (30% vs. 11%, p<0.05).
- Nonrhythmic headaches were more frequently associated with fever than rhythmic headaches (p<0.05).
- Increased headache intensity correlated with more exacerbating factors (p<0.01), and bilateral headaches were more painful than unilateral ones.
Conclusions:
- Fever may be a significant factor in pediatric headaches, particularly nonrhythmic types.
- Headache intensity and characteristics in children can be influenced by underlying illness and genetic predisposition (family history of migraine).
- Headaches associated with acute illnesses in childhood might serve as a precursor to adult migraine.
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