Yield of brain imaging among neurologically normal children with headache on wakening or headache waking the patient from sleep.

BACKGROUND: Headache on wakening (HoW) or sleep interruption secondary to headache (SIH) has been commonly regarded as a potential sign of raised intracranial pressure and therefore a sign of significant underlying pathology that necessitates further investigation. Current recommendations for neuroimaging in patients with HoW/SIH are neither consistent nor clear across headache guidelines published both nationally and internationally. AIM: The main aim of this study was to ascertain the relevance of HoW and/or SIH as an indication for routine neuroimaging. METHODS: This study focused on clinically well patients with normal neurological examinations who had experienced HoW or SIH. Demographic and neuroradiological data were collected prospectively and the headache diagnosis was based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders. RESULTS: 102/1065 patients reported either HoW and/or SIH. There were 57/102 (56%) females, 45/102 males (44%), and 33/102 (32%) of ethnic minority. Their age ranged between 5 and 17 years. 79/102 (77%) patients with HoW, 19/102 (19%) with SIH and 4/102 (4%) with both HoW and SIH. Headache diagnosis included migraine (n = 67; 66%), tension type headaches (n = 16; 16%), medication overuse headaches (n = 11; 11%), and sinusitis (n = 1; 1%). Neuroimaging was performed in 101/102 patients; imaging was normal for 97 scanned patients, and showed non-significant abnormality in the remaining 4 patients. CONCLUSION: HoW or SIH among clinically well and neurologically normal paediatric patients was most likely to be caused by primary headaches, particularly migraine or tension type headaches. This symptom alone among healthy and clinically well children is not an indication for routine neuroimaging and is unlikely to be caused by sinister aetiologies.

Olfactory hallucination in childhood primary headaches: case series.

BACKGROUND: Although olfactory hallucination (OH) has been reported in patients with primary headaches, olfactory aura has not been recognised by the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-2). In this study, we examined the frequency and characteristics of OH among children and adolescents with primary headaches. METHODS: 839 neurologically normal patients with primary headaches (537 migraine) were eligible for the assessment of olfactory hallucination. Headache diagnosis was based on the ICHD. Data were prospectively collected during clinic sessions and using headache diaries. RESULTS: Olfactory hallucination was reported exclusively during headache attacks by 21/839 (2.5%) patients, all of whom had migraine. The prevalence of olfactory hallucination was 3.9% among migraineurs (6.5% among those with migraine aura). Olfactory hallucination shortly followed the onset of headaches and lasted from 15 to 50 minutes. Of those with MA, 10 patients had visual aura; two had somatosensory aura; one had motor aura; and two had a combination of visual and somatosensory aura. Using the ICHD-2, both OH and migraine aura occurred in the same headache attacks. In 12/15 patients, OH occurred simultaneously with migraine aura, whereas in 3/12 patients, it preceded aura. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that olfactory hallucination occurs in migraine and it has similarities to migraine aura.

Infant botulism following honey ingestion.

An apparently well baby girl born at term was presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute onset of generalised floppiness at the age of 3 months. Clinically, the baby had lower motor neuron type of muscle weakness; detailed investigation lead to the diagnosis of neuromuscular junction disorder secondary to botulism toxicity. Further tests confirmed the botulism toxicity secondary to honey ingestion. The baby was treated with specific anticlostridium antibodies; she recovered remarkably, now growing and developing normally.

When to image neurologically normal children with headaches: development of a decision rule.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to develop and refine a decision rule on when to undertake brain imaging (BI) in neurologically normal children with headaches. METHODS: From the literature and a questionnaire study, a list of red flags (RFs) was drawn-up. During the prospective 4-year period, consecutive children with headache were classified according to RFs and the headache diagnosis. RESULT: Three of 709 (0.4%) neurologically normal children had significant brain abnormalities. BI was carried out in 389 of 498 (78%) children with RFs. Significant abnormalities were found in three of 389 children (0.8%), all had unclassified headache (UH). BI was not arranged for the 211 children with no RFs. None of these developed RFs or abnormal signs on follow-up for a mean of 13 months. CONCLUSION: In addition to BI for those with neurological signs, we think BI should be considered for neurologically normal patients with UH and RFs. This would have saved imaging children needlessly: only 101 of 709 (14%) would have had scans arranged, instead of 389 of 709.

Cluster headache in children--experience from a specialist headache clinic.

BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is a primary headache disorder with the distinct clinical features: unilaterality, extreme pain, cranial autonomic features and periodicity. The prevalence of the disorder is 0.1% in adults and with a male predominance. The age of onset is usually in the second and third decade of life but the onset in the first decade is recognised. We describe our experience of cluster headache in children and review the literature. We have attempted to define the clinical features of cluster headache in children as compared to adults, the role of clinical investigations, reliability of clinical diagnosis, effective treatment and management options. METHODS: A retrospective casenotes review was conducted on all children with suspected cluster headache seen in our centre from 2000 to 2005. Case ascertainment was conducted using International Headache Society guidelines, and by telephone interviews with the parents. RESULTS: Eleven children were identified, (seven male and four female). The median age of onset was 8.5 years (range 2-14). The median age at diagnosis was 11.5 years (range 7-17). Eight children had episodic and 3 children had chronic cluster headaches. The average attack duration was 72 min. The commonest reported bout frequency was one per day. Several children had circadian and circumannual periodicity and most displayed the other features of the disorder, such as agitated movement and cranial autonomic activation. Oxygen, methysergide, verapamil, zolmitriptan and dihydroergotamine were the drugs which were effective in terminating the headache. Paracetamol, ibuprofen and paracetamol/codeine combinations were not. CONCLUSION: We describe our experience with cluster headache in eleven children who all presented before the age of 16.

Psychogenic and organic movement disorders in children.

We report on 34 patients with abnormal body movements (AMs; 11 females, 23 males; mean age 10 y 1 mo, range 3 y 6 mo-15 y 11 mo). Twenty-three of the 34 patients had an organic movement disorder (OMD), five patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of documented psychogenic movement disorder (PMD), and six patients displayed probable or possible PMD. Diagnosis of children with OMD included essential tremor (n=7), Tourette syndrome (n=5), primary dystonia (n=2), chronic motor tics (n=2), viral cerebellar ataxia (n=2), drug-induced ataxia (n=1), thyrotoxicosis related tremor (n=1), autosomal inherited dystonia (n=1), poststreptococcal chorea (n=1), and benign head tremor (n=1). Consistent findings among patients with PMD included disappearance of AMs when the patients thought they were not being observed and satisfactory recovery from the AMs after psychotherapy or suggestion. Reduction of the movements when the patient was distracted and variability of AMs during full relaxation, sleep, and stress were reported among patients with both PMD and OMD.

Chvostek's sign and hypocalcaemia in children with seizures.

Chvostek's sign (CS) was investigated in 154 patients with seizures (epilepsy, n = 91; non-epileptic event, n = 41; febrile convulsion, n = 19; hypocalcaemic seizure, n = 3). Patients with febrile convulsions or non-epileptic seizures had either negative or mild CS. Marked CS was only found among those with the diagnosis of epilepsy or hypocalcaemia. Normocalcaemic patients had no other signs of neuromuscular hyperexcitability (NMH) while those with hypocalcaemia manifested positive Trousseau's sign (TS) and other signs of NMH. There was no significant correlation between CS and seizure control, epilepsy classification and EEG findings.