Tension type headaches in children and adolescents: co-morbidity with emotional and behavioral disorders

Abstract

To assess the incidence of emotional and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents with frequent episodic or chronic tension type headaches (TTH). One hundred and fifty patients with TTH (75 boys and 75 girls), aged 8-16 years, were included in the study. The severity of emotional and behavioral problems was analyzed in comparison with their healthy peers by means of parents' interviewing with the 'Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire' (SDQ). Total difficulties scores measured by SDQ were significantly higher in boys (16.2±0.7) and girls (14.3±0.7) with TTH compared with their peers (7.9±0.4 and 7.7±0.4, respectively, p<0.001). Patients with TTH had significantly more prominent manifestations than their peers (p<0.001) on the four SDQ scales, including Hyperactivity and Inattention, Conduct problems, Emotional symptoms, Peer problems. Clinical examination revealed in many pediatric patients with TTH the following disorders: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (45.3% boys and 13.3% girls), oppositional defiant disorder (26.7% boys, 18.7% girls), with co-occurrence of both disorders in some patients (17.3% boys, 10.7% girls). Moreover, most patients with TTH had anxiety disorders (68.0% boys, 77.3% girls). Clinical features and duration of TTH may be dependent on the severity of co-morbid emotional and behavioral disorders. This should be taken into account for individualized indication of drug therapy and non-pharmacological treatment approaches in pediatric TTH.