Clinico-demographic profile of Primary Pediatric headache

Abstract

Background: Headache is one of the most common neurological symptoms and the source of frequent referrals to neurology and is increasingly being recognized as a major source of morbidity in youth related to missed school days and activities. It is therefore essential for clinicians to have a thorough and systematic approach to the evaluation of headaches, because proper diagnosis and management can lead to improved outcomes and quality of life. Methods: 280 children diagnosed with primary pediatric headache at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai were enrolled. The study was conducted between January2019 to June 2020.Demographic data and clinical profile were collected and analysed. Results: Of 280 study subjects, there were 164 females (58.6%) and majority (48.2%) were aged between 11-15 years. As per the International Classification of Headache Disorders -ICHD (3) beta version classification, Migraine without aura (16.4%) was the most common diagnosis and ProbableTension type headache (TTH) and Migraine with aura were the least common (3.6% each).Duration of screen exposure and sleep have shown significant association with primary pediatric headache. Migraine headaches showed the maximum impact on limitation of physical activity (52.4%) and school absentism (67.1%) along with worsening school performance (46.3%). Conclusions: Pediatric primary headaches are most common in early adolescents and have a negative impact on school attendance, day to day activity and academic performance .Hence early diagnosis, referral and management can help improve the quality of life of these children.