This PedsCases note provides a one-page overview of assessment of headache in the emgergency room, including history, physical, indications for neuroimaging and management algorithms. It was created by Julia Craig, a medical student at the University of Alberta with the help of Dr. Thilinie Rajapakse, pediatric neurologist at the University of Alberta. 

Click the image below for a full-page PDF. 

Related content:

Note: Headache Red Flags

Note: Pediatric Migraine

Note: Elevated Intracranial Pressure

References

1. Raucci, U., Della Vecchia, N., Ossella, C., Paolino, M. C., Villa, M. P., Reale, A., & Parisi, P. (2019). Management of Childhood Headache in the Emergency Department. Review of the Literature. Frontiers in neurology, 10, 886. https://doi-org/10.3389/fneur.2019.00886 

2. Lewis, D. W., Ashwal, S., Dahl, G., Dorbad, D., Hirtz, D., Prensky, A., Jarjour, I., Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology, & Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society (2002). Practice parameter: evaluation of children and adolescents with recurrent headaches: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology, 59(4), 490–498. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.59.4.490

3. Perry, M. C., Yaeger, S. K., Toto, R. L., Suresh, S., & Hickey, R. W. (2018). A Modern Epidemic: Increasing Pediatric Emergency Department Visits and Admissions for Headache. Pediatric neurology, 89, 19–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2018.07.015