Headaches in children

Question 1

Primary causes of headaches

Answer 1

Migraine, tension headache, cluster headache, primary stabbing headache

Question 2

Symptoms of migraine

Answer 2

Unilateral or bilateral, pulsatile, associated with photophobia, phonophobia, N+V, abdominal pain, frontal or temporal region

Question 3

Symptoms of tension headache

Answer 3

Symmetrical, gradual onset, no other symptoms

Question 4

Secondary causes of headaches

Answer 4

Medication overuse
Sinusitis
Head or neck trauma
Vascular malformation
Intracranial haemorrhage
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Withdrawal from drug
Infection
Hypertension
Raised ICP
SOLs

Question 5

Red flags for headache

Answer 5

Worse lying down
Morning vomiting
Night time waking
Change in mood/personality
Visual field defects
Abnormal gait or coordination
Cranial nerve abnormalities
Growth failure
Papilloedema
Delated or early puberty
Seizures
Bulging fontanelle with increasing head circumference

Question 6

Treatment of headache

Answer 6

Antiemetics
Analgesia
Triptans for migrains
Prophylaxic treatments

Question 7

Antiemetics used

Answer 7

Prochlorperazine and cyclizine

Question 8

Triptans used for migraine

Answer 8

Sumitriptan