INTRODUCTION: The clinical presentation and progression of childhood migraine has still not been clearly defined. However, major advances in prognosis and treatment would follow this. OBJECTIVE: To trace the clinical features and course of childhood migraine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study, lasting 10 years, in a population of 284 children with migraine, seen at two hospitals. The data obtained were analysed using techniques of statistical significance and logistic regression. RESULTS: In 24.3% headaches started before the age of 6 years, and in 57% at between 6 and 10 years of age. In 77.5% of the patients there was a family history of migraine, this figure rose to 82.6% in the children whose headaches started before the age of 6 years. Characteristics such as duration, site and accompanying factors differed from those seen in adults. There was spontaneous improvement in 88.3%, who did not require prophylactic medication. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood migraine has some characteristics which distinguish it from adult migraine. This should be noted in classification. Most children with migraine have mild headaches which do not require prophylaxis. A genetic factor appears to play an important rol in phenotype expression of the disorder.
INTRODUCTION: The clinical presentation and progression of childhood migraine has still not been clearly defined. However, major advances in prognosis and treatment would follow this. OBJECTIVE: To trace the clinical features and course of childhood migraine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study, lasting 10 years, in a population of 284 children with migraine, seen at two hospitals. The data obtained were analysed using techniques of statistical significance and logistic regression. RESULTS: In 24.3% headaches started before the age of 6 years, and in 57% at between 6 and 10 years of age. In 77.5% of the patients there was a family history of migraine, this figure rose to 82.6% in the children whose headaches started before the age of 6 years. Characteristics such as duration, site and accompanying factors differed from those seen in adults. There was spontaneous improvement in 88.3%, who did not require prophylactic medication. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood migraine has some characteristics which distinguish it from adult migraine. This should be noted in classification. Most children with migraine have mild headaches which do not require prophylaxis. A genetic factor appears to play an important rol in phenotype expression of the disorder.