Headache in childhood may lead to problems in later life

Headache is the most common complaint in children. Headache in children is rarely reported before the age of four, its prevalence increases throughout childhood reaching a peak at about thirteen years of age in both the sexes. In school going children, as many as 75% may experience headaches infrequently and about 10% have recurring headaches. Reports have shown an association between headache in childhood and several psychosocial factors. These factors are depression in the mother, depression in childhood, social disadvantage, and coming from a family with a history of painful conditions. As adults they had increased physical symptoms, increased rates of psychiatric disorders and psychological distress. This is the first study, which confirms that children with headache do not simply grow out of their complaint. Some of the participants with headache in childhood will have had migraine, which is known to persist into adulthood in many cases. One study has followed up children with migraine into adulthood. Overall, 60% of those who had migraine, aged between 7 and 15 years were still experiencing migraine attacks 23 years later. In half of these patients the attacks were neither as frequent nor as severe as in childhood. The relation between headache in childhood and physical and psychiatric symptoms in adulthood still remains unclear and needs further investigation. However, the findings of an association between both headache in childhood and adult morbidity has an impact on the future well being of children. Evidence shows that the prevalence of headache in childhood is increasing steadily in the developed world. If this is so there may well be an increase in somatic and psychiatric symptoms, as today's children become adults.

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