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Migraine in a pediatric ophthalmology practice
1Department of Surgery, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Purpose:
A prospective study of children between the ages of 2 and 15 years was conducted to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of migraine in children seeking ophthalmic care.
Methods:
A questionnaire, based on established criteria for the diagnosis of migraine, was administered to 1479 consecutive children presenting to a single pediatric ophthalmologist (H.P.K.). Over 25% of all respondents reported headaches that met the criteria for migraine. In general, these individuals were older than non-migraine sufferers (mean age of 8.3 years vs. 6.6 years). There were no significant sex differences.
Results:
Headache was the chief complaint for 8.9% of all patients seeking ophthalmic care in this study population. Eighty percent of this subpopulation described headaches that met the diagnostic criteria for migraine. This study found childhood migraine symptoms to be present in a significant proportion of the patient population of a pediatric ophthalmologist.
Conclusion:
Ophthalmologists must be aware of the high prevalence of migraine in children seeking ophthalmic care with a chief complaint of headache. Such knowledge will aid the ophthalmologist in the timely diagnosis, treatment, and appropriate referral of patients with symptoms of migraine.