Objectives: To describe treatment of children presenting to an Australian ED with a final ED diagnosis of migraine.
Methods: Planned substudy of a retrospective cohort study of the epidemiology of headache in children was done. Primary outcome of interest was treatment administered in the ED.
Results: Thirty-five children were studied. The most commonly used medications were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol and ondansetron. Specific antimigraine therapy was used uncommonly. Fourteen percent of children received an opiate.
Conclusion: Treatment of migraine in children was not consistent with the available evidence regarding agents' relative effectiveness. The use of opiates is concerningly high.
Keywords: emergency department; migraine; paediatric.
© 2019 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.