Clinical Profile of Children with Primary Headache at a Tertiary Care Center in North India: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Purpose: The present study investigated the clinical profile of children with primary headache at a tertiary care center in North India. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted between January 2021 and October 2022. In total, 100 children 5 to 18 years of age who attended the pediatric outpatient department or the emergency department with primary headache were included. Children with secondary causes of headache were excluded. Results: This study included 100 children (40 boys, 60 girls), and the female-to-male ratio was 1.5:1. The patients ranged in age from 5 to 18 years (mean±standard deviation, 10.1±2.8). Mi-graine headaches were most commonly reported (60%) followed by tension-type headache (28%) and others (12%). The throbbing type of pain was most common (43%), followed by the tightening type in 32%. The pain location was bilateral frontal in 47% of patients, followed by bitemporal in 20% and occipital in 17%. Most of the children (87%) had a headache duration of 2 to 4 hours. The common precipitating factors were skipped meals (25%), bright light (18%), lack of sleep (16%), and schoolwork (15%). A family history was present in around 62%. Around 70% of children required prophylactic medications (flunarizine and propranolol). Long screen time (2 to 4 hours/day) and a family history of headache were significantly associated with primary headache ( P <0.05). Conclusion: The present study highlights that migraine is most common cause of primary head-ache in children, and every effort should be made for the early detection and management of headaches among children.