Migraine and tension-type headache in children and adolescents a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective: The present study aims to determine the frequency and characteristics of migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) in children and adolescents aged 10 to 18, and to evaluate the findings accompanying the headache and the factors increasing it. Methods: Of 2576 students in total aged 10 to 18 from 17 schools in downtown Şemdinli and the villages of the county of Şemdinli 1614 students who filled out the questionnaire properly were included in the study and the characteristics of headaches were analyzed based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3 beta) diagnostic criteria and the visual pain scale. Results: One thousand four hundred and eighty three of the students expressed they had experienced headache at least once in their life, and 54.6% of these were female students. In the questionnaire, the headache was most frequently accompanied by sensitivity to sound, and the most frequent trigger was sound again. The most prevalent answer for the frequency of headache was ‘1 to 3 headache attacks a week’ in all age groups. 94 students were diagnosed with migraine while 548 were diagnosed with TTH. Conclusion: This questionnaire-based study found the prevalence of migraine as 6.3% and the prevalence of TTH as 40.1%, and revealed that headache was most prevalent in the age group of 10-12 and more common in females than in males. The present study aims to raise awareness among physicians and patients so that headaches will be diagnosed early which in turn will increase the quality of life and academic success of the patients.