Index
- Acute Treatment of Migraine in Pediatrics: Guidelines and Recommendations
- Preventative Treatment of Migraine in Pediatrics
- Key Studies
- Childhood and Adolescent Migraine Prevention Study (CHAMP)
- OnabotulinumtoxinA for Chronic Migraine Prophylaxis in Pediatrics
- Nerve Blocks for Pediatric Refractory Migraine
- Devices for Acute and Preventative Treatment of Migraine in Pediatrics
- Anti-Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Treatment Recommendations
- Ongoing Pediatric Trials for CGRP Antagonists and Related Treatments (Szperka CL et al., 2018)
- CGRP Receptor Antagonists
- References
Acute Treatment of Migraine in Pediatrics: Guidelines and Recommendations
Guidelines Overview
- Published By: American Headache Society and American Academy of Neurology (Oskui M et al., 2019A; 2019B)
- Year: 2019
- Focus Areas:
- Prompt treatment
- Migraine characteristics and associated symptoms
- Medication formulation
- Incorporation of healthy lifestyle habits
Importance of Acute Treatment
- Risks of Ineffective Treatment:
- Medication overuse headache
- Progression to chronic migraine
- Essential Components:
- Correct headache diagnosis
- Diagnostic testing for secondary headache disorders
- Assessment of premonitory/aura symptoms, headache features, associated symptoms, and overall disability
- Goal: Quick-acting, effective therapy with minimal side effects
Medication and Treatment Options
- Triptans:
- Most effective for pain relief
- Less effect on associated nausea and vomiting
- Antiemetics:
- Limited clinical trials for migraine-associated nausea
- Demonstrated safety in pediatric gastroenteritis
- Recommended for significant nausea or vomiting
Counseling and Early Intervention
- Over-the-Counter Medications:
- Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen
- Weight-based doses
- FDA-Approved Triptans for Pediatrics:
- Rizatriptan (from age 6)
- Almotriptan, sumatriptan/naproxen, zolmitriptan nasal spray (from age 12)
- Triptan Use:
- Alternative triptans if one is ineffective or causes side effects
- Two doses may be required; follow maximum daily dosing instructions
Considerations for Triptan Selection
- Factors:
- Migraine-associated symptoms
- Time to peak intensity
- Disability
- Multiple Triptans:
- Different migraine attacks may require different triptans
- Do not switch between triptans if the maximum daily dose is reached within 24 hours
Patient and Family Education
- Trial Period:
- Finding the most effective triptan
- Non-Oral Routes:
- Consider for rapid peak pain severity or prominent nausea/vomiting
- Combination Therapy:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (naproxen sodium) and triptan (sumatriptan) can be effective
Lifestyle and Healthy Habits
- Importance:
- Healthy habits, lifestyle modifications, and avoidance of triggers
- Discuss realistic goals and expectations
- Medication Overuse Headache:
- Occurs from overusing acute medication
- Secondary to ineffective preventative and acute treatment plans
Contraindications and Special Considerations
- Triptan Contraindications:
- History of ischemic vascular disease or accessory conduction pathway disorder
- Migraine with Aura:
- Safe to take triptan during aura
- Consult headache specialists for brainstem aura and hemiplegic migraines before triptan trial
New Treatments Under Study
- Selective 5HT-1F Agonist: Lasmiditan
- CGRP Antagonists: Studied for safety and efficacy in pediatric population
- Devices: Regarded as safe for acute migraine treatment in pediatric patients
Preventative Treatment of Migraine in Pediatrics
Challenges in Preventative Management
- Parental Concerns: Reluctance about daily medications for children.
- Child’s Concerns: Fear of being labeled as different or damaged due to daily medication.
- Insurance Issues: Coverage of treatment costs can be problematic.
- Limited FDA-Approved Options: Fewer options for younger children; improvements with regulatory requirements for pediatric testing.
Current FDA Approvals
- Topiramate: Approved for migraine prevention in children aged 12-17 years.
- No Medications for Children Under 12: Requires clinicians to extrapolate data and rely on guidelines and expert consensus.
Expert Guidelines and Recommendations
- Published By: American Headache Society and American Academy of Neurology
- Year: 2019
- Study Review: 15 class I-III studies on preventative treatment for migraine in under 18 age range.
- Effective Treatments:
- Cinnarizine: Decreases headache frequency (not available in the USA).
- Topiramate: Decreases headache frequency.
- Propranolol: Possibly decreases headache frequency.
- Combination Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy with amitriptyline shows greater benefit.
Unclear Efficacy in Pediatric Population
- Medications Tested: Divalproex, onabotulinumtoxinA, amitriptyline, nimodipine, flunarizine.
- Results: Did not reach statistical significance in reducing headache frequency.
Recommendations for Clinicians
- Preventative Treatments:
- High frequency of migraine or high disability score.
- Medication overuse.
- Trial Period: Minimum of 2 months for preventive treatment (unless side effects require cessation).
- Folic Acid Supplementation: For topiramate or divalproex in child-bearing potential demographic.
Additional Pharmacologic Choices
- Cyproheptadine:
- FDA-approved for allergic rhinitis in children aged 2 years and older.
- Suggested for prevention in cyclic vomiting and migraine.
- Gabapentin:
- FDA-approved for partial onset epilepsy in children aged 3 years and older.
- Used for chronic pain; small studies suggest use in pediatric migraine.
Need for Further Research
- Pediatric Studies: More research needed on medications used for migraine prevention in pediatric population.
- Shared Decision-Making: Essential to promote appropriate therapeutic milieu and manage expectations.
Considerations for Specific Cases
- Failure of Standard Options: Use of cyproheptadine or gabapentin may be considered.
- Comorbid Conditions:
- Cyproheptadine: Comorbid cyclic vomiting.
- Gabapentin: Chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.
Conclusion
- Importance of Research: Further studies are necessary for medications currently in use and those approved for adults but not yet for children under 18.
Key Studies
Childhood and Adolescent Migraine Prevention Study (CHAMP)
Overview
- Publication Year: 2017 (Powers SW et al., 2016 )
- Type: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- Objective: Guide preventive management in pediatric migraine
- Participants: Children and adolescents aged 8-17 years with migraine
- Inclusion Criteria:
- PedMIDAS disability score: 11 to 139
- Headache frequency: 4 or more days during a 28-day baseline
- Study Sites: 31 enrollment sites across the USA
- Drugs Studied: Amitriptyline, topiramate, placebo
- Duration: 24-week treatment period
- Result: Study stopped early due to futility; no significant differences between the three groups
Key Findings
- Reduction in Headache Frequency and Disability:
- Meaningful reduction observed across all groups
- Participants had a history of headaches spanning 5 to 6 years
Follow-up Study
- Method: Survey-based study post-CHAMP trial (Powers SW et al., 2021)
- Assessment Points: 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 months after study completion
- Participants:
- Initial: 205 (from original 264)
- At 36 months: 155 participants (76% retention)
- Limitations: Observational nature, self-reports, potential sampling bias
Long-term Results
- Headache Days:
- Decreased from 3 to 1.5 per week after 3 years
- PedMIDAS Disability Scores:
- Decreased from moderate to low-mild range
- Preventive Medication Use:
- Only 1 participant reported using preventive medication at the 3-year mark
Implications
- Sustained Reduction: Headache frequency and disability reduction maintained long-term
- Non-Pharmacologic Factors:
- Effectiveness attributed to expectations of medication response, natural disease course, cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle changes
- Holistic Approach: Reinforces the importance of a biopsychosocial approach to migraine management in youth
Cite this: CNKE contributors.Migraine in childhood. CNKE.org, The Child Neurology Knowledge Environment. 04 January 2025. Available at: https://cnke.org/articles/358 Accessed 04 January 2025.