Description of children with recurrent headaches
Headache, pain, dizziness, headache type*Baseline, phonophobia, nausea,, headache, neck pain, photophobia, trauma
DYSFUNCTION
There were 283 children eligible for the pre-screening data collection period, 30 children did not fulfill the inclusion criteria for the screening process and were therefore excluded, and hence, the baseline cohort consisted of 253 children, with 44% boys and a median age of 11 [Headache characteristics used to categorize the headache diagnoses reported by headache type*Baseline information by headache category*Dysfunction is defined as a biomechanical dysfunction resulting in reduced ranges of motion of one or more joints found during clinical examination of the child’s spine, pelvis or temporomandibular joint **ROM: range of motion ***Other: reflexology, massage, otherThe mean pain intensity at baseline was 5.9 measured on a numerical rating scale. More than 2/3 of the children had been suffering from headache for more than a year and more than 50% for several days a week. The duration of attacks varied, but most commonly they lasted from two to twelve hours per dayMore than 90% of the children were engaged in sports one or more times per week, screen time per day was most commonly two to four hours, and more than 90% slept well. All children experienced some co-occurring symptoms, most often nausea, dizziness, phonophobia or photophobia. The most frequent triggering factors of headache were sports and use of computer/tv, and the most frequent relieving factors were sleep and medicine. Cervical dysfunctions and decreased cervical range of motion was found in 3/4 of the children, and 60% had experienced neck pain within the last year. Around 2/3 of the children had experienced trauma to the head and/or neck without seeing a doctor or going to the hospital, and 1/3 had experienced trauma needing medical attention.More than half of the children had been examined by a general practitioner and 20% had received treatment for headache before entering the study. More than 1/3 of the children used non-prescriptive medicine one or more days a week.