Insights in Neurosurgery

Triggers of Childhood Migraine

Migraine, a recurring headache that lasts for 1–72 hours with normal physicalexamination [1]. It is the most common complicated neurological disease of the children characterised by headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sensitivity to touch, sound, light, and odours associated with/without abdominal pain and mood changes [1]. Some children may have warning symptoms called an aura, before the start of a headache [1]. There have only been five studies published to identify triggers of migraine in children. Our study is non-interventional hospital-based study of healthy patients (< age of 17 years) with migraine over a 5-year period. Our aim was to identify factors that often or almost always trigger an acute attack of migraine. Migraineurs must experience one or more triggers that almost always or often precipitate an attack of headache. Patients with neurological conditions or developmental disorders were not included in this study. Our cohort comprised of 1051 patients. 362 (35%) migraineurs reported at least one factor that triggered an attack of acute migraine. We were able to identify in total 14 different triggers of migraine. Stress, loud noise, bright light, specific diet and climate were reported as the most common triggers of childhood migraine (82%). Chocolate, cheese and eggs were the most common dietary triggers of migraine in our cohort (91%). The number and type of triggers were similar in patient with migraines with aura and migraines without aura. When analysing our findings and available data of migraine triggers, that migraines are triggered by common factors despite different societies, climates and cultures. Childhood migraine can be prevented by considering nutritional supplements, lifestyle alterations and avoidance of migraine triggers, we recommend that enquiry about migraine triggers must be an essential part of headache history.

Author(s):

Anwar Jamal Ayubi

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