Abstract
Although migraines are the most common cause of headaches in children, it is important to be cognizant of other, secondary causes of headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by an underlying etiology that may be systemic (medical) or due to a problem inherent in the central nervous system. Common intracranial etiologies for headache include structural (eg, tumor, hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation), infection (encephalitis or meningitis), inflammatory (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, vasculitis), and epilepsy. In some situations, early identification and appropriate treatment of these underlying conditions can result in complete headache resolution. This article discusses these secondary causes of headaches due to primary brain etiologies, focusing on aspects of the history that should lead a neurologist to order neuroimaging or electroencephalographic studies for these children.
Similar content being viewed by others
References and Recommended Reading
Abend N, Younkin D: Medical causes of headaches in children. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2007, 11:401–407.
Gladstein J: Secondary headaches. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2006, 10:382–386.
Syversten M, Grethe H, Stovner LJ, et al.: Headaches add to the burden of epilepsy. J Headache Pain 2007, 8:224–230.
Bigal ME, Lipton RB, Cohen J, et al.: Epilepsy and migraine. Epilepsy Behav 2003, 4:13–24.
Karaali-Savrun F, Goksan B, Yeni SN, et al.: Seizure-related headache in patients with epilepsy. Seizure 2002, 11:67–69.
Parisi P, Piccioli M, Villa MP, et al.: Hypothesis on neurophysiopathological mechanisms linking epilepsy and headache. Med Hypotheses 2008, 70:1150–1154.
Ghofrani M, Mahvelati F, Tonekaboni H: Headache as a sole manifestation in nonconvulsive status epilepticus. J Child Neurol 2007, 5:660–662.
Kaniecki R: Headache assessment and management. JAMA 2003, 289:1430–1433.
Pfund Z, Szapary L, Jaszberenyi O, et al.: Headache in intracranial tumors. Cephalalgia 1999, 19:787–790.
Burton LJ, Quinn B, Pratt-Cheney JL, et al.: Headache etiology in the emergency department and inpatient setting. Pediatr Emerg Care 1997, 13:1–4.
Lewis DW, Qureshi F: Acute treatment of pediatric headache in the emergency department. Headache 2000, 40:200–203.
Kan L, Nagelberg J, Maytal J: Headaches in the pediatric emergency department: etiology, imaging and treatment. Headache 2000, 40:25–29.
Levitz RE: Herpes simplex encephalitis. Heart Lung 1998, 27:209–212.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Eastern equine encephalitis, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, August–September 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2006, 55:697–700.
Pradilla G, Jallo G: Arachnoid cysts: case series and review of literature. Neurosurg Focus 2007, 22:E7.
Helland C, Wester K: A population based study of intracranial arachnoid cysts: clinical and neuroimaging outcomes following surgical cyst decompression in children. J Neurosurg 2006, 105:385–390.
Garton HJ, Piatt JH Jr: Hydrocephalus. Pediatr Clin North Am 2004, 51:305–325.
Avellino AM: Hydrocephalus. In Treatment of Pediatric Neurologic Disorders. Edited by Singer, Kossoff, Hartman, Crawford. Boca Raton, FL: Taylor and Francis; 2005: 25–36.
Chumas P, Tyagi A, Livingston J: Hydrocephalus—what’s new? Arch Dis Child 2001, 85:149–154.
Kirkpatrick M, Engleman H, Minns RA: Symptoms and signs of progressive hydrocephalus. Arch Dis Child 1989, 64:124–128.
Libenson MH, Kaye EM, Rosman NP, et al.: Acetazolamide and furosemide for posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus of the newborn. Pediatr Neurol 1999, 20:185–191.
Taylor FR, Larkins MV: Headache and Chiari I malformation: clinical presentation, diagnosis, and controversies in management. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2002, 6:331–337.
Ribaupierre S, Rilliet B, Cotting J, et al.: 10-year experience in pediatric spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage: which children with headache need more than a clinical exam? Swiss Med Wkly 2008, 138:59–69.
Wasay M, Dai AI, Ansari M, et al.: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in children: a multicenter cohort from the United States. J Child Neurol 2008, 23:26–31.
Elbers J, Benseler SM: Central nervous system vasculitis in children. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2008, 20:47–54.
Leake JA, Albani S, Kao AS, et al.: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in childhood: epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory features. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2004, 23:756–764.
Murthy SN, Faden HS, Cohen ME, et al.: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in children. Pediatrics 2002, 110:e21.
Packard RC: Chronic post-traumatic headache: associations with mild traumatic brain injury, concussion, and post-concussive disorder. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2008, 12:67–73.
Lanzi G, Balottin U, Borgatti R, et al.: Late post-traumatic headache in pediatric age. Cephalalgia 1985, 5:211–215.
Callaghan M, Abu-Arafeh I: Chronic post-traumatic headache in children and adolescents. Dev Med Child Neurol 2001, 43:819–822.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ahad, R., Kossoff, E.H. Secondary intracranial causes for headaches in children. Current Science Inc 12, 373–378 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-008-0063-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-008-0063-9