Skip to main content

Managing Headache in Young People

  • Reference work entry
Handbook of Headache

Abstract

Headache is a frequent complaint in childhood and adolescence, and its prevalence increases with age. Although the most common causes of chronic or recurrent headaches in this group are benign primary headaches, migraine, and TTH, they may have a significant impact in children’s lives, disrupting school and social activities.

Appropriate management requires an individually tailored strategy giving due consideration to both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments. Reassurance, education, and information of patients and family are important intervention measures. Longitudinal studies have demonstrated that childhood migraine tends to improve with age and early diagnosis and intervention may be important to avoid persistence of symptoms.

In migraine, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are effective in the acute treatment of the attacks, but oral therapy can fail due to vomiting. Nasal sumatriptan, nasal zolmitriptan, and oral almotriptan have been approved for use in patients above 11 years of age. Supplementary measures such as rest in a quiet, darkened room are recommended. In chronic TTH, patients should be advised to take acute therapy only when the pain is severe, in order to avoid analgesic overuse.

Prophylactic management of migraine and TTH should include strategies relating to daily habits, family, school, and leisure-time activities. Nonpharmacologic treatments include relaxation training, biofeedback, cognitive-behavioral therapy, other psychotherapeutic approaches, or combinations of these treatments. Pharmaco-prophylaxis is indicated if headache are frequent and severe despite lifestyle modifications. Although many prophylactic medications have been tried in pediatric migraine, there are only a few medications that have been studied in controlled trials (particularly flunarizine and topiramate).

Multidisciplinary treatment is an effective strategy for children and adolescents with improvement of multiple outcome variants including frequency and severity of headache and school days missed because of headache.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 279.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahonen K, Hämäläinen ML, Rantala H, Hoppu K (2004) Nasal sumatriptan is effective in the treatment of migraine attacks in children. Neurology 62:883–887

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahonen K, Hämäläinen ML, Eerola M, Hoppu K (2006) A randomized trial of rizatriptan in migraine attacks in children. Neurology 67:1135–1140.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Akyol A, Kiylioglu N, Aydin I, Erturk A, Kaya E, Telli E et al (2007) Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of migraine among school children in the Menderes region. Cephalalgia 27(7):781–787

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andrasik F, Grazzi L, Usai S, D’Amico D, Leone M, Bussone G (2003) Brief neurologist-administered behavioral treatment of pediatric episodic tension-type headache. Neurology 60:1215–1216

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anttila P (2006) Tension-type headache in childhood and adolescence. Lancet Neurol 5:268–274

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Apostol G, Cady RK, Laforet GA, Robieson WZ, Olson E, Abi-Saab WM, Saltarelli M (2008) Divalproex extended-release in adolescent migraine prophylaxis: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Headache 48:1012–1025

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Battistella PA, Ruffilli R, Moro R, Fabiani M, Bertoli S, Antolini A et al (1990) A placebo-controlled crossover trial of nimodipine in pediatric migraine. Headache 30:264–268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battistella PA, Ruffilli R, Cernetti R, Pettenazzo A, Baldin L, Bertoli S et al (1993) A placebo-controlled crossover trial using trazodone in pediatric migraine. Headache 33(1):36–39

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baumann RJ (2002) Behavioral treatment of migraine in children and adolescents. Paediatr Drugs 4(9):555–561

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belman AL, Milazo M, Savatic M (2001) Gabapentin for migraine prophylaxis in children. Ann Neurol 50(Suppl 1):S109

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedetti F, Mayberg HS, Wager TD, Stohler CS, Zubieta JK (2005) Neurobiological mechanisms of the placebo effect. J Neurosci 25:10390–10402

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bille B (1997) A 40-year follow-up of school children with migraine. Cephalalgia 17:488–491

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burstein R, Collin B (2000) An association between migraine and cutaneous allodynia. Ann Neurol 47:614–624

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caraballo R, Koutroumanidis M, Panayiotopoulos CP, Fejerman N (2008) Idiopathic childhood occipital epilepsy of Gastaut: a review and differentiation from migraine and other epilepsies. J Child Neurol 24:1536–1542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caruso JM, Brown WD, Exil G, Gascon GG (2000) The efficacy of divalproex sodium in the prophylactic treatment of children with migraine. Headache 40:672–676

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chakravarty A, Mukherjee A, Roy D (2009) Trigger factors in childhood migraine: a clinic-based study from eastern India. J Headache Pain 10:375–380

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Charles JA (2006) Almotriptan in the acute treatment of migraine in patients 11–17 years old: an open-label pilot study of efficacy and safety. J Headache Pain 7:95–97

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Covanis A (2006) Panayiotopoulos syndrome: a benign childhood autonomic epilepsy frequently imitating encephalitis, syncope, migraine, sleep disorder, or gastroenteritis. Pediatrics 118:1237–1243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Cruz OF (1994) Cluster headaches in childhood. Clin Pediatr 33:241–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damen L, Bruijn JK, Verhagen AP, Berger MY, Passchier J, Koes BW (2005a) Symptomatic treatment of migraine in children: a systematic review of medication trials. Pediatrics 116:295–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damen L, Bruijn JK, Verhagen AP, Berger MY, Passchier J, Koes BW (2005b) Prophylactic treatment of migraine in children. Part 1. A systematic review of non-pharmacological trials. Cephalalgia 26:373–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damen L, Bruijn JK, Verhagen AP, Berger MY, Passchier J, Koes BW (2005c) Prophylactic treatment of migraine in children. Part 2. A systematic review of pharmacological trials. Cephalalgia 26:497–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Vries B, Stam AH, Kirkpatrick M, Vanmolkot KR, Koenderink JB, van den Heuvel JJ, Stunnenberg B, Goudie D, Shetty J, Jain V, van Vark J, Terwindt GM, Frants RR, Haan J, van den Maagdenberg AM, Ferrari MD (2009) Familial hemiplegic migraine is associated with febrile seizures in an FHM2 family with a novel de novo ATP1A2 mutation. Epilepsia 50:2503–2504

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodick D, Campbell JK (2000) Cluster headache. Diagnosis, management, and treatment. In: Silberstein SD, Lipton RB, Dalessio DJ (eds) Wolff’s headache and other head pain, 7th edn. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 283–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Dooley J (2009) The evaluation and management of paediatric headaches. Paediatr Child Health 14:24–30

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eccleston C, Yorke L, Morley S, Williams AC, Mastroyannopoulou K (2003) Psychological therapies for the management of chronic and recurrent pain in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (1):CD003968

    Google Scholar 

  • Eidlitz-Markus T, Shuper A, Gorali O, Zeharia A (2007) Migraine and cephalic cutaneous allodynia in pediatric patients. Headache 47:1219–1223

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Evers S, Rahmann A, Kraemer C, Kurlemann G, Debus O, Husstedt IW et al (2006) Treatment of childhood migraine attacks with oral zolmitriptan and ibuprofen. Neurology 67:497–499

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evers S, Marziniak M, Frese A, Gralow I (2009) Placebo efficacy in childhood and adolescence migraine: an analysis of double-blind and placebo-controlled studies. Cephalalgia 29:436–444

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes R, Ferreira JJ, Sampaio C (2008) The placebo response in studies of acute migraine. J Pediatr 152:527–533

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forsythe WI, Gillies D, Sills MA (1984) Propranolol (Inderal) in the treatment of childhood migraine. Dev Med Child Neurol 26:737–741

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gillies D, Sills M, Forsythe I (1986) Pizotifen (Sandomigran) in childhood migraine. A double-blind placebo controlled trial. Eur Neurol 25:32–35

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guidetti V, Moscato D, Ottaviano S, Fiorentino D, Fornara R (1987) Flunarizine and migraine in childhood: an evaluation of endocrine function. Cephalalgia 7:263–266

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hämäläinen ML, Hoppu K, Valkeila E, Santavuori P (1997a) Ibuprofen or acetaminophen for the acute treatment of migraine in children: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Neurology 48:102–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Hämäläinen ML, Hoppu K, Santavuori PR (1997b) Oral dihydroergotamine for therapy-resistant migraine attacks in children. Pediatr Neurol 16:114–117

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hämäläinen M, Hoppu K, Santavuori P (1997c) Sumatriptan for migraine attacks in children: a randomized placebo-controlled study. Do children with migraine respond to oral sumatriptan differently than adults? Neurology 48:1100–1103

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heng K, Wirrell E (2006) Sleep disturbance in children with migraine. J Child Neurol 21:761–766

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hershey AD (2010) Current approaches to the diagnosis and management of paediatric migraine. Lancet Neurol 9:190–204

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hershey AD, Powers SW, Bentti AL, Degrauw TJ (2000) Effectiveness of amitriptyline in the prophylactic management of childhood headaches. Headache 40:539–549

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hershey AD, Powers SW, Vockell AL, LeCates S, Kabbouche MA, Maynard MK (2001) PedMIDAS: development of a questionnaire to assess disability of migraines in children. Neurology 57(11):2034–2039

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hershey AD, Powers SW, Vockell AL, LeCates S, Kabbouche M (2002) Effectiveness of topiramate in the prevention of childhood headache. Headache 42:810–818

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hung RM, MacGregor DL (2008) Management of pediatric migraine: current concepts and controversies. Indian J Pediatr 75:1139–1148

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karwautz A, Wöber C, Lang T, Böck A, Wagner-Ennsgraber C, Vesely C et al (1999) Psychosocial factors in children and adolescents with migraine and tension-type headache: a controlled study and review of the literature. Cephalalgia 19:32–43

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin AE (2002) The state of child and adolescent psychotherapy research. Child Adolesc Ment Health 2:53–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kernick D, Reinhold D, Campbell JL (2009) Impact of headache on young people in a school population. Br J Gen Pract 59:678–681

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kienbacher CH, Wöber CH, Zesch H, Hafferl-Gattermayer A, Posch M, Karwautz A, Zormann A, Berger G, Zebenholzer K, Konrad A, Wöber-Bingöl Ç (2006) Clinical features, classification and prognosis of migraine and tension-type headache in children and adolescents: a long-term follow-up study. Cephalalgia 26:820–830

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kröner-Herwig B, Vath N (2009) Menarche in girls and headache-a longitudinal analysis. Headache 49:860–867

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis DW, Winner P (2006) The pharmacological treatment options for paediatric migraine: an evidence-based appraisal. NeuroRx 3:181–191

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis DW, Kellstein D, Dahl G, Burke B, Frank LM, Toor S et al (2002) Children’s ibuprofen suspension for the acute treatment of pediatric migraine headache. Headache 42:780–786

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis D, Ashwal S, Hershey A, Hirtz D, Yonker M, Silberstein S, American Academy of Neurology Quality Standards Subcommittee; Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society (2004a) Practice parameter: pharmacological treatment of migraine headache in children and adolescents: report of the American Academy of Neurology Quality Standards Subcommittee and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology 63:2215–2224

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis DW, Diamond S, Scott D, Jones V (2004b) Prophylactic treatment of pediatric migraine. Headache 44:230–237

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis D, Winner P, Saper J, Ness S, Polverejan E, Wang S, Kurland CL, Nye J, Yuen E, Eerdekens M, Ford L (2009) Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topiramate for migraine prevention in pediatric subjects 12 to 17 years of age. Pediatrics 123(3):924–934

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Linder SL (1996) Subcutaneous sumatriptan in the clinical setting: the first 50 consecutive patients with acute migraine in the pediatric neurology office practice. Headache 36:419–422

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linder SL, Dowson AJ (2000) Zolmitriptan provides effective migraine relief in adolescents. Int J Clin Pract 54:466–469

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ludvigsson J (1974) Propranolol used in prophylaxis of migraine in children. Acta Neurol 50:109–115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mac Donald JT (1994) Treatment of juvenile migraine with subcutaneous sumatriptan. Headache 34:581–582

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Majumdar A, Ahmed MA, Benton S (2008) Cluster headache in children-experience from a specialist headache clinic. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 13(6):524–529

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller GS (2004) Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in pediatric migraine. Headache 44:238–243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newacheck PW, Taylor WR (1992) Childhood chronic illness: prevalence, severity, and impact. Am J Public Health 82:364–371

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olness K, Macdonald JT, Uden DL (1987) Comparison of self-hypnosis and propranolol in the treatment of juvenile classic migraine. Pediatrics 79:593–597

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pakalnis A, Kring D (2006) Zonisamide prophylaxis in refractory pediatric headache. Headache 46(5):804–807

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pakalnis A, Kring D, Meier L (2007) Levetiracetam prophylaxis in pediatric migraine – an open-label study. Headache 47(3):427–430

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pakalnis A, Splaingard M, Splaingard D, Kring D, Colvin A (2009) Serotonin effects on sleep and emotional disorders in adolescent migraine. Headache 49:1486–1492

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Papetti L, Spalice A, Nicita F, Paolino MC, Castaldo R, Iannetti P, Villa MP, Parisi P (2010) Migraine treatment in developmental age: guidelines update. J Headache Pain 11(3):267–276 [Epub ahead of print]

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pini LA, Del Bene E, Zanchin G, Sarchielli P, Di Trapani G, Prudenzano MP et al (2008) Tolerability and efficacy of a combination of paracetamol and caffeine in the treatment of tension-type headache: a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, cross-over study versus placebo and naproxen sodium. J Headache Pain 9(6):367–373

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Powers SW, Patton SR, Hommel KA, Hershey AD (2003) Quality of life in childhood migraines: clinical impact and comparison to other chronic illnesses. Pediatrics 112(1 Pt 1):e1–e5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Powers SW, Patton SR, Hommel KA, Hershey AD (2004) Quality of life in paediatric migraine: characterization of age-related effects using PedsQL 4.0. Cephalalgia 24:120–127

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rothner AD, Wasiewski W, Winner P, Lewis D, Stankowski J (2006) Zolmitriptan oral tablet in migraine treatment: high placebo responses in adolescents. Headache 46:101–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Serdaroglu G, Erhan E, Tekgul H, Oksel F, Erermis S, Uyar M et al (2002) Sodium valproate prophylaxis in childhood migraine. Headache 42:819–822

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sillanpaa M (1977) Clonidine prophylaxis of childhood migraine and other vascular headache. A double blind study of 57 children. Headache 17:28–31

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sills M, Congdon P, Forsythe I (1982) Clonidine and childhood migraine. Dev Med Child Neurol 24:837–841

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sorge F, De Simone R, Marano E, Nolano M, Orefice G, Carrieri P (1988) Flunarizine in prophylaxis of childhood migraine. A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Cephalalgia 8:1–6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strine TW, Okoro CA, McGuire LC, Balluz LS (2006) The associations among childhood headaches, emotional and behavioral difficulties, and health care use. Pediatrics 117(5):1728–1735

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Termine C, Özge A, Antonaci F, Natriashvili S, Guidetti V, Wöber-Bingöl Ç (2010) Overview of diagnosis and management of paediatric headache. Part II: therapeutic management. J Headache Pain. Epub ahead of print

    Google Scholar 

  • Toldo I, Perissinotto E, Menegazzo F, Boniver C, Sartori S, Salviati L, Clementi M, Montagna P, Battistella PA (2010) Comorbidity between headache and epilepsy in a pediatric headache center. J Headache Pain 11(3):235–240 [Epub ahead of print]

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Uebarall MA (1999) Intranasal sumatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine in children. Neurology 52:1507–1510

    Google Scholar 

  • Vendrame M, Kaleyias J, Valencia I, Legido A, Kothare SV (2008) Polysomnographic findings in children with headaches. Pediatr Neurol 39:6–11

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Víctor S, Ryan SW (2006) Drugs for preventing migraine headaches in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev CD002761

    Google Scholar 

  • Visser WH, Winner P, Strohmaier K, Klipfel M, Peng Y et al; Rizatriptan Protocol 059 and 061 Study Groups (2004) Rizatriptan 5 mg for the acute treatment of migraine in adolescents: results from a double-blind, single-attack study and two open-label, multiple-attack studies. Headache 44:891–899

    Google Scholar 

  • Visudtibhan A, Lusawat A, Chiemchanya S, Visudhiphan P (2004) Flunarizine for prophylactic treatment of childhood migraine. J Med Assoc Thai 87(12):1466–1470

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winner P, Rothner AD, Saper J, Nett R, Asgharnejad M, Laurenza A et al (2000) A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sumatriptan nasal spray in the treatment of acute migraine in adolescents. Pediatrics 106:989–997

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winner P, Lewis D, Visser WH, Jiang K, Ahrens S, Evans JK, Rizatriptan Adolescent Study Group (2002) Rizatriptan 5 mg for the acute treatment of migraine in adolescents: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Headache 42:49–55

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winner P, Pearlman EM, Linder SL, Jordan DM, Fisher AC, Hulihan J, Topiramate Pediatric Migraine Study Investigators (2005) Topiramate for migraine prevention in children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Headache 45(10):1304–1312

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winner P, Rothner AD, Wooten JD, Webster C, Ames M (2006) Sumatriptan nasal spray in adolescent migraineurs: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, acute study. Headache 46:212–222

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wöber-Bingöl Ç (2002) What does it mean to treat headache in children and adolescents? Dealing with patients, dealing with parents, dealing with teachers. In: Guidetti V, Russell G, Sillanpää M, Winner P (eds) Headache and migraine in childhood and adolescence. Martin Dunitz, London, pp 459–466

    Google Scholar 

  • Wöber-Bingöl Ç, Hershey (2011) A, Migraine co-morbidities in children. In: Schoenen J, Sandor P, Dodick D (eds) Co-morbidity in migraine – clinical aspects, prevalence, mechanisms and management. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 122–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Wöber-Bingöl Ç, Hershey AD (2006) Tension-type headaches and other primary headaches in the pediatric population. In: Olesen J, Goadsby P, Ramadan N, Tfelt-Hansen P, Welch KMA (eds) The headaches, 3rd edn. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 1079–1081

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Çiçek Wöber-Bingöl .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Lifting The Burden

About this entry

Cite this entry

Wöber-Bingöl, Ç., Martins, I.P. (2011). Managing Headache in Young People. In: Martelletti, P., Steiner, T.J. (eds) Handbook of Headache. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1700-9_45

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1700-9_45

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-1699-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-1700-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics