Behaviour during attacks and assessment of intensity in primary headaches of children and adolescents

Assessment of attack intensity in primary headaches of paediatric age has not received great attention in the literature to date and in the international classification the criteria to define pain intensity are also not specified. The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether behaviour during attacks, reported by the child or a parent, can be used as a measure of attack disability, and so as an indirect measure of attack intensity in primary headaches of children and adolescents. The subjects were 320 patients aged between 3 and 14 years (mean age 9.9 years, SD 2.6 years) affected by primary recurrent headaches and first seen at a headache clinic. Twelve variables taken from their history were considered and sequentially analysed with multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. Five types of behaviour during attacks were identified: (i) the child (or the parent) is unable to answer the questions or the child has no limitation in activities; (ii) the child may have some activity limitation, but only in lively games; (iii) the child has limitations in daily life with regard also to quiet activities; (iv) at least during some attacks the child lies down with closed eyes or in the dark; (v) during each attack the child lies down with closed eyes or in the dark. The least important variables for the identification of the five behaviour types were studying at school and absence from school. There are some limitations in considering child’s behaviour as a measure of attack intensity/disability; one of these is the fact that it was found to be related to the educational level of the mother. However, behaviour during attacks, reported by the child or the parent, provides useful information independently of child’s age and, together with the score of pain, when this is given, it can be used as measure of attack intensity.