Positive Health Online

Abstract

CUVELLIER and colleagues, Service de neuropediatrie, clinique de pediatrie, hopital Roger-Salengro, centre hospitalier regional et universitaire de Lille, 59037 Lille cedex, France, jc-cuvellier@chru-lille.fr, have reviewed (49 references) drug treatments of migraine attacks in children. Abstract: Migraine occurs in about 5 to 10% of children. Management of acute headache is only one of the parts of the treatment, along with identification of migraine precipitants, adjustments in lifestyle, and when necessary the use of preventive therapy, which can include non-pharmacological (relaxation or biofeedback) or pharmacological treatment. In the acute migraine attack, a single dose of either ibuprofen 10 mg/kg or paracetamol 15 mg/kg has been shown to be effective, with only a few adverse effects. In severe migraine attacks, dihydroergotamine mesylate administered orally (20 to 40 microg/kg) or intravenously (maximum 1 mg/day) may be helpful, but there have been no large placebo-controlled trials of this treatment. Among the different triptans, it is the sumatriptan nasal spray whose efficacy has been best demonstrated.

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References

Cuvellier JC, Joriot S, Auvin S, Vallee L. Pharmacologic treatment of acute migraine attack in children. Archives de Pediatrie 12 (3): 316-325, Mar 2005.