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Table 23 Pharmacological treatment of headache in children

From: Reference programme: diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders and facial pain. Danish Headache Society, 3rd edition, 2020

Pharmacological treatment of headache in children

• Treatment of acute tension headache attacks (paracetamol and / or NSAIDs).

• Treatment of acute migraine attacks (paracetamol and / or ibuprofen possibly combined with domperidone (at age > 12 years and weight > 35 kg)), alternatively (sumatriptan nasal spray (children> 12 years) or tablet zolmitriptan (children> 12 years) possibly in combination with ibuprofen).

• Generally avoid overuse of painkillers.

• Preventive treatment is considered for very frequent or severely disabling headaches, where there has been insufficient effect of the non-pharmacological treatment and where the acute seizure treatment is inadequate and medication overuse headache is excluded.

• Beta-blockers and flunarizine have some proven prophylactic effect, but in general, there is very little scientific evidence that prophylactic medical treatment has an effect in children with migraines and tension headaches.

• If prophylactic treatment is needed, the general rules for adults are followed.