Headache (peds)
Revision as of 23:13, 28 November 2019 by Rossdonaldson1 (talk | contribs)
This page is for pediatric patients. For adult patients, see: headache
Background
Headache Red Flags
Features
- Sudden onset or accelerating pattern
- Maximum intensity of pain at onset (i.e. "thunderclap")
- Worse with valsalva
- Worse in the morning or at night
- No similar headache in past
- Age >50 yr or <5 yr
- Occipitonuchal headache
- Visual disturbances
- Exertional or postcoital
- Family or personal history of SAH, cerebral aneurysm, or AVM
- Focal neurologic signs
- Diastolic BP >120
- Papilledema
- Jaw claudication
Clinical Context
Headache in setting of:
- Infection
- Cancer
- Immunosuppression
- Seizure
- Syncope
- Trauma
- Altered mental status
- Systemic illness (fever, stiff neck, rash)
- Nausea/vomiting
- Patient on anticoagulation, steroids, NSAIDs, antiplatelet
Clinical Features
Differential Diagnosis
Pediatric Headache
- Primary headache
- Secondary headache
Evaluation
- Neuroimaging if red-flag features
- Routine imaging is not indicated in children with recurrent HA headaches and normal neuro exam
- Consider imaging if abnormal neuro exam, altered mental status, concurrent seizure, severe HA or change in type
Diagnosis
- Predictors of a surgical space-occupying lesion
- Headache of <6 months duration
- Sleep-related headache
- Vomiting
- Effortless vomiting but no GI complaints suggestive of elevated ICP
- Confusion
- Absence of family history of migraine
- Abnormal findings on neuro exam
- Torticollis
- Strongly consider imaging in patients under 5 yrs who present with headaches
Management
| Headache Type | Treatment | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Migraine | Ibuprofen, 10 milligrams/kg PO, or acetaminophen, 15 milligrams/kg PO/PR | Ibuprofen superior to acetaminophen in one trial |
| Sumatriptan, 10 milligrams via nasal spray (20–39 kg) or 20 milligrams via nasal spray (>40 kg), or 0.06 milligram/kg SC | Nasal or injectable preferred; no difference between oral sumatriptan and placebo | |
| Rizatriptan, 5 milligrams PO | Efficacy not statistically significant over placebo | |
| Dihydroergotamine, 0.1 milligram/kg (ages 6–9), 0.15 milligram/kg (ages 9–12), 0.2 milligram/kg (ages 12–16) | Contraindicated in complex migraine | |
| Prochlorperazine, 0.15 milligram/kg IV | Consider diphenhydramine 1 milligram/kg to prevent or treat dystonic reactions | |
| Cluster | 100% oxygen at 7 L/min via non-rebreather mask at onset of headache | Most useful at onset of symptoms, less effective later in course of headache |
| Ergotamine, 0.1 milligram/dose (ages 6–9), 0.5 milligram/dose (ages 9–12), 0.75 milligram/dose (ages 12–16) | — | |
| Sumatriptan | Nasal spray or IM dosing as for migraine | |
| Lidocaine, 1% solution in ipsilateral nostril | Effective for mild to moderate pain, can instill via atomizer and syringe | |
| Prednisone, 1–2 milligrams/kg for 10 d with subsequent 7-d taper | Effective at terminating prolonged cluster headaches and preventing recurrence | |
| Tension | Ibuprofen, 10 milligrams/kg PO, or acetaminophen, 15 milligrams/kg PO/PR | — |
Disposition
- Discharge if primary headache provided pain is well controlled and child is well-appearing