Clinical Characteristics of Children Diagnosed with Migraine

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of visual symptoms, aspects of headache, and ophthalmologic features in children diagnosed with migraine. METHODS: The medical records of 31 Korean children who had been diagnosed with migraine by pediatric neurologists were retrospectively reviewed and visual symptoms and ophthalmologic examinations were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of the 31 patients was 10.8 years (range, 5-17 years). The mean age of onset of headache was 9 years (range, 4-15 years). Nineteen patients (61.3%) had the associated visual aura. Visual symptoms of the 19 patients included blurred vision, unilateral vision loss, flickering lights, scotoma, and visual hallucination in descending order. However, there was no specific abnormality observed on thorough ophthalmologic examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the children diagnosed with migraine did not show any ophthalmologic problems. Careful ophthalmologic examination with an understanding of migraine should be performed and reassurance to patients may be beneficial.