Pediatric headaches in the emergency department

Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2006 Oct;10(5):391-6. doi: 10.1007/s11916-006-0066-3.

Abstract

Headache is a common presenting complaint in the pediatric emergency department. Although the majority of headaches are benign in nature, headache may be secondary to more serious pathology, such as tumor, meningitis, hemorrhage, or brain abscess. A systematic history will elicit the temporal pattern of the headache, guiding the development of an appropriate differential diagnosis. Thorough physical and neurologic examinations will disclose the objective signs that dictate the need for further diagnostic testing.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Child
  • Chronic Disease
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Disease Progression
  • Emergency Medical Services*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital
  • Headache / diagnosis
  • Headache / etiology
  • Headache / therapy*
  • Humans