Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Current Pain and Headache Reports
Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports 10/2020

Open Access 01-10-2020 | Migraine | Childhood and Adolescent Headache (S Evers, Sedction Editor)

Epidemiology of Headache in Children and Adolescents—Another Type of Pandemia

Authors: Vera Nieswand, Matthias Richter, Gudrun Gossrau

Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports | Issue 10/2020

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Headaches are not only responsible for restrictions in everyday life in adults. In children and adolescents, regular headaches lead also to reduced life quality and limitations in the social sphere, in school education, and in professional careers. Here, we provide an overview on the frequency of headache in children and adolescents with the aim of increasing awareness about this particular health issue.

Recent Findings

Overall, headache prevalence in children and adolescents has been increasing in recent years. From various regions worldwide, data describing headache, its forms, and consequences are growing. In addition, factors frequently correlated with headache are repeatedly investigated and named: besides genetic factors, psychosocial and behavioral factors are linked to the prevalence of headache.

Summary

Increasing evidence indicates that headache is underestimated as a common disorder in children and adolescents. Accordingly, too little emphasis is placed by society on its prevention and treatment. Thus, the extent of the social and health economic burden of frequent headaches in children and adolescents needs to be better illustrated, worldwide. Furthermore, the data collected in this review should support the efforts to improve outpatient therapy paths for young headache patients. Factors correlating with headache in pupils can draw our attention to unmet needs of these patients and allow physicians to derive important therapy contents from this data.
Literature
1.
•• Saylor D, Steiner TJ. The global burden of headache. Semin Neurol. 2018;38(2):182–90 This paper presents a worldwide overview of burden of headache.PubMed
2.
Linde M, Gustavsson A, Stovner LJ, Steiner TJ, Barré J, Katsarava Z, et al. The cost of headache disorders in Europe: the Eurolight project. Eur J Neurol. 2012;19:703–11.PubMed
3.
Philipp J, Zeiler M, Wöber C, Wagner G, Karwautz AFK, Steiner TJ, et al. Prevalence and burden of headache in children and adolescents in Austria - a nationwide study in a representative sample of pupils aged 10–18 years. J Headache Pain. 2019;20(1):101.PubMedPubMedCentral
4.
•• Vos T, Abajobir AA, Abbafati C, Abbas KM, Abate KH, Abd-Allah F, et al. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 328 diseases and injuries for 195 countries, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2016. Lancet. 2017;390:1211–59 This paper shows the burden of headache in relation to other diseases worldwide.
5.
Stovner LJ, Jumah MA, Birbeck GL, Gururaj G, Jensen R, Katsarava Z, et al. The methodology of population surveys of headache prevalence, burden and cost: principles and recommendations from the global campaign against headache. J Headache Pain. 2014;15(1):5.PubMedPubMedCentral
6.
Foiadelli T, Piccorossi A, Sacchi L, De Amici M, Tucci M, Brambilla I, et al. Clinical characteristics of headache in Italian adolescents aged 11-16 years: a cross-sectional questionnaire school-based study. Ital J Pediatr. 2018;44(1):44.PubMedPubMedCentral
7.
• Krogh AB, Larsson B, Salvesen Ø, Linde M. Assessment of headache characteristics in a general adolescent population: a comparison between retrospective interviews and prospective diary recordings. J Headache Pain. 2016;17:14 This paper includes a thorough discussion on methodology.PubMedPubMedCentral
8.
Heyer GL, Merison K, Rose SC, Perkins SQ, Lee JM, Stewart WC. PedMIDAS-based scoring underestimates migraine disability on non-school days. Headache. 2014;54(6):1048–53.PubMed
9.
Heyer GL, Perkins SQ, Rose SC, Aylward SC, Lee JM. Comparing patient and parent recall of 90-day and 30-day migraine disability using elements of the PedMIDAS and an Internet headache diary. Cephalalgia. 2014;34:298–306.PubMed
10.
Stahlschmidt L, Friedrich Y, Zernikow B, Wager. Assessment of pain-related disability in pediatric chronic pain: a comparison of the functional disability inventory and the pediatric pain disability index. Clin J Pain. 2018;34(12):1173–9.PubMed
11.
Jeong YJ, Lee YT, Lee IG, Han JY. Primary headaches in children and adolescents - experiences at a single headache Center in Korea. BMC Neurol. 2018;18(1):70.PubMedPubMedCentral
12.
Vetri L, Messina LM, Drago F, D'Aiuto F, Vanadia F, Brighina F, et al. Are paediatric headaches in the emergency department increasing? An Italian Experience. Funct Neurol. 2019;34(3):188–95.PubMed
13.
Perry MC, Yaeger SK, Toto RL, Suresh S, Hickey RW. A modern epidemic: increasing pediatric emergency department visits and admissions for headache. Pediatr Neurol. 2018;89:19–25.PubMed
14.
Torres-Ferrus M, Vila-Sala C, Quintana M, Ajanovic S, Gallardo VJ, Gomez JB, et al. Headache, comorbidities and lifestyle in an adolescent population (the TEENs study). Cephalalgia. 2019;39(1):91–9.PubMed
15.
Nieswand V, Richter M, Berner R, von der Hagen M, Klimova A, Roeder I, et al. The prevalence of headache in German pupils of different ages and school types. Cephalalgia. 2019;39(8):1030–40.PubMed
16.
Krause L, Sarganas G, Thamm R, Neuhauser H. Headache, abdominal and back pain in children and adolescents in Germany: results from KiGGS wave 2 and trends. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2019;62(10):1184–94.PubMed
17.
Centauri F, Pammolli A, Simi R, Dalmasso P, Berchialla P, Borraccino A, et al. Self-reported recurrent pain and medicine use among 15-year-olds: results from the HBSC Italian study. J Prev Med Hyg. 2019;60(4):E368–75.PubMedPubMedCentral
18.
Sedlic M, Mahovic D, Kruzliak P. Epidemiology of primary headaches among 1,876 adolescents: a cross-sectional survey. Pain Med. 2016;17(2):353–9.PubMed
19.
Krogh AB, Larsson B, Linde M. Prevalence and disability of headache among Norwegian adolescents: a cross-sectional school-based study. Cephalalgia. 2015;35(13):1181–91.PubMed
20.
• Jacobsena BA, Dyb G, Hagen K, Stovner L, Holmen TL, Zwart JA. The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study shows increased prevalence of primary recurrent headaches among adolescents over a four-year period. Scand J Pain. 2018;2(3):148–52 Investigates the trend of headache prevalence.PubMed
21.
Roberts C, Freeman J, Samdal O, Schnohr CW, de Looze ME, Gabhainn SN, et al. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: methodological developments and current tensions. Int J Public Health. 2009;54(Suppl 2):140–50.PubMedPubMedCentral
22.
Holstein BE, Andersen A, Denbaek AM, Johansen A, Michelsen SI, Due P. Short communication: persistent socio-economic inequality in frequent headache among Danish adolescents from 1991 to 2014. Eur J Pain. 2018;22(5):935–40.PubMed
23.
Wöber C, Wöber-Bingöl Ç, Uluduz D, Aslan TS, Uygunoglu U, Tüfekçi A, et al. Undifferentiated headache: broadening the approach to headache in children and adolescents, with supporting evidence from a nationwide school-based cross-sectional survey in Turkey. J Headache Pain. 2018;19(1):18.PubMedPubMedCentral
24.
Poyrazoğlu HG, Kumandas S, Canpolat M, Gümüs H, Elmali F, Kara A, et al. The prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache among schoolchildren in Kayseri, Turkey: an evaluation of sensitivity and specificity using multivariate analysis. J Child Neurol. 2015;30(7):889–95.PubMed
25.
Goto M, Yokoyama K, Nozaki Y, Itoh K, Kawamata R, Matsumoto S, et al. Characteristics of headaches in Japanese elementary and junior high school students: a school-based questionnaire survey. Brain and Development. 2017;39(9):791–8.PubMed
26.
Miao NF, Wang TZ, Chang FC, Lee CH, Chi HY, Huang LJ, et al. Prevalence and association of pain experiences, medication literacy, and use of medication among children and adolescents in Taiwan. J Pediatr Nurs. 2019;46:e64–71.PubMed
27.
Zhang Y, Deng G, Zhang Z, Zhou Q, Gao X, Di L, et al. A cross sectional study between the prevalence of chronic pain and academic pressure in adolescents in China (Shanghai). BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015;16:219.PubMedPubMedCentral
28.
Al-Hashel JY, Ahmed SF, Alroughani R. Prevalence and burden of primary headache disorders in Kuwaiti children and adolescents: a community based study. Front Neurol. 2019;10:793.PubMedPubMedCentral
29.
Al Bashtawy M, Al Qadire M, Aloush S, Tawalbeh L, Al Azzam S, Suliman M, et al. Assessment of headache among high school students in Jordan. J Sch Nurs. 2019;35(2):88–95.
30.
Sanya EO, Desalu OO, Aderibigbe SA, Kolo PM, Mustapha AF, Adeyanju OA. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of headaches among undergraduate students in three tertiary institutions in Ilorin, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2017;20(11):1411–6.PubMed
31.
Albers L, Straube A, Landgraf MN, Filippopulos F, Heinen F, von Kries R. Migraine and tension type headache in adolescents at grammar school in Germany - burden of disease and health care utilization. J Headache Pain. 2015;16:534.PubMed
32.
Xavier MK, Pitangui AC, Silva GR, Oliveira VM, Beltrão NB, Araújo RC. Prevalence of headache in adolescents and association with use of computer and videogames. Cien Saude Colet. 2015;20(11):3477–86.PubMed
33.
Genizi J, Khourieh Matar A, Schertz M, Zelnik N, Srugo I. Pediatric mixed headache -the relationship between migraine, tension-type headache and learning disabilities - in a clinic-based sample. J Headache Pain. 2016;17:42.PubMedPubMedCentral
34.
Grimby-Ekman A, Åberg M, Torén K, Brisman J, Hagberg M, Kim JL. Pain could negatively affect school grades - Swedish middle school students with low school grades most affected. PLoS One. 2018;13(12):e0208435.PubMedPubMedCentral
35.
Pawlowski C, Buckman C, Tumin D, Smith AW, Crotty J. National trends in pediatric headache and associated functional limitations. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2019;58(14):1502–8.
36.
• Pecor K, Kang L, Henderson M, Yin S, Radhakrishnan V, Ming X. Sleep health, messaging, headaches, and academic performance in high school students. Brain Dev. 2016;38(6):548–53 This paper exams the correlation of media consumption and headache, sleep, academic performance in high school students.PubMed
37.
Gelfand AA, Pavitt S, Greene K, Szperka CL, Irwin S, Grimes B, et al. High school start time and migraine frequency in high school students. Headache. 2019;59(7):1024–103.PubMedPubMedCentral
38.
Rocha-Filho PA, Santos PV. Headaches, quality of life, and academic performance in schoolchildren and adolescents. Headache. 2014;54(7):1194–202.PubMed
39.
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition. Cephalalgia. 2018; 38(1):1–211.
40.
Kelly M, Strelzik J, Langdon R, DiSabella M. Pediatric headache: overview. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2018;30(6):748–54.PubMed
41.
Blankenburg M, Schroth M, Braun S. Chronic headache in children and adolescents. Klin Padiatr. 2019;231(1):14–20.PubMed
42.
Oliveira Bernardo AA, Lys Medeiros F, Sampaio Rocha-Filho PA. Osmophobia and odor-triggered headaches in children and adolescents: prevalence, associated factors, and importance in the diagnosis of migraine. Headache. 2020;60(5):954–66.
43.
• Reidy BL, Riddle EJ, Powers SW, Slater SK, Kacperski J, Kabbouche MA, et al. Clinic-based characterization of continuous headache in children and adolescents: comparing youth with chronic migraine to those with new daily persistent headache. Cephalalgia. 2020;333102420920644. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1177/​0333102420920644​ Online ahead of print. Work for improving headache classification in children and adolescents.
44.
Yamani N, Olesen J. New daily persistent headache: a systematic review on an enigmatic disorder. J Headache Pain. 2019;20(1):80.PubMedPubMedCentral
45.
Oskoui M, Pringsheim T, Holler-Managan Y, Potrebic S, Billinghurst L, Gloss D, et al. Practice guideline update summary: acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents: report of the guideline development, dissemination, and implementation subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. Neurology. 2019;93(11):487–99.PubMed
46.
Locher C, Kossowsky J, Koechlin H, Lan Lam T, Barthel J, Berde CB, et al. Efficacy, safety, and acceptability of pharmacologic treatments for pediatric migraine prophylaxis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2020;174(4):341–9.PubMed
47.
48.
49.
• Nahman-Averbuch H, Schneider VJ, Chamberlin LA, Kroon Van Diest AM, Peugh JL, Lee GR, et al. Alterations in brain function after cognitive behavioral therapy for migraine in children and adolescents. Headache. 2020. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​head.​13814 Online ahead of print. This study investigates brain activation and resting-state connectivity after CBT in young migraineurs.
50.
Metadata
Title
Epidemiology of Headache in Children and Adolescents—Another Type of Pandemia
Authors
Vera Nieswand
Matthias Richter
Gudrun Gossrau
Publication date
01-10-2020
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Pain and Headache Reports / Issue 10/2020
Print ISSN: 1531-3433
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-020-00892-6

Other articles of this Issue 10/2020

Current Pain and Headache Reports 10/2020 Go to the issue

Anesthetic Techniques in Pain Management (D Wang, Section Editor)

Low-Dose Naltrexone for Chronic Pain: Update and Systemic Review

Other Pain (N Vadivelu and AD Kaye, Section Editors)

Surgical Flow Disruptions, a Pilot Survey with Significant Clinical Outcome Implications

Psychological and Behavioral Aspects of Headache and Pain (D Buse, Section Editor)

Neurophysiological Mechanisms Supporting Mindfulness Meditation–Based Pain Relief: an Updated Review

Anesthetic Techniques in Pain Management (D Wang, Section Editor)

Complications of Fluoroscopically Guided Cervical Interlaminar Epidural Steroid Injections

Other Pain (N Vadivelu and AD Kaye, Section Editors)

Ultrasound-Guided Neuraxial Anesthesia

Neuropathic Pain (A Abd-Elsayaed, Section Editor)

Pain Syndromes Secondary to Cluneal Nerve Entrapment