Raising Awareness for Pediatric Migraine: Valentina Popova, MD

"It’s important to educate parents and schools because that’s a large part of the people that interact with kids and where their migraines present.”

Each June, the international medical community celebrates National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month to raise awareness and lower the stigma associated with migraine disease and headache disorders. While migraine is typically associated with adult populations, it can be very common among children, and has been reported in those as young as 18 months old.

About 10% of school-age children suffer from migraine, and up to 28% of adolescents between 15 to 19 years are affected by it. Additionally, about half of all migraine sufferers are estimated to have their first attack before the age of 12 years. Valentina Popova, MD, told NeurologyLive that there’s an additive stress to identify the signs these children may show and direct them to a migraine specialist as early as possible.

Popova, a pediatric headache specialist at NYU Langone, sat down to discuss the signs and symptoms associated with pediatric headaches, and to share her thoughts on the current level of awareness for this condition and if it has reached its full potential.

REFERENCE

Ailano S. 6 Common types of migraine in children and youth. Practical Pain Management. Updated June 16, 2020. Accessed June 25, 2021. https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/patient/conditions/headache/6-common-types-migraine-children-youth.