Childhood migraine. Differential diagnosis and treatment

Migraine headaches may be confused with other types of headache, namely, those caused by tension and by organic disorders, but several features often set them apart. For one, migraines are often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. Also, they often are present in the family history. Treatment can involve such methods as biofeedback, diet, and limitation of exercise, and a number of medications are available for both treatment and prophylaxis. Studies of drug treatment of childhood migraine are few, so clinicians must tailor treatment to the individual case, watching for side effects and limiting the duration of treatment as much as possible.