How Can Neurologists Manage Pediatric Migraine?
Preventative Strategies and Diet
A key component to preventive care in pediatric migraine is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Neurologists should encourage patients to eat regular meals, get regular exercise and sleep, and stay consistently hydrated. Additionally, daily preventive treatment may include medications or supplements that are well tolerated. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be beneficial.
Children and adolescents with migraine should avoid fasting, alcohol, or nitrate-containing meats such as hot dogs, some lunch meats, salami, and beef jerky. Chocolate, cheese, citrus, gluten, sugar, or dairy might not need to be avoided. Also, proper hydration can help control or prevent migraines. Pilot studies have shown that increased water intake decreases headache hours and severity. Spigt et al found that greater water intake resulted in a statically significant improvement in quality of life.
The Future of Pediatric Migraine Research
Sixty percent of patients will improve following treatment, but 40% of patients do not get better. In addition, “children who have continous headache and medication overuse have not been well studied, so we do not know what treatments might be most effective for them,
—Erica Tricarico
Suggested Reading
Qubty W, Gelfand AA. Psychological and behavioral issues in the management of migraine in children and adolescents. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016;20(12):69.
Spigt MG, Kuijper EC, Schayck CP, et al. Increasing the daily water intake for the prophylactic treatment of headache: a pilot trial. Eur J Neurol. 2005;12(9):715-718.
