Visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials in children with headache.

Background: Headache is a common problem in the pediatric population. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate visual evoked potentials (VEP) and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) in children with headache.

Methods: Thirty-seven children fulfilling the International Headache Society Criteria for a diagnosis of migraine, 35 children with tension-type headache and 40 healthy children (control group) were enrolled in the study.

Results: The mean age of patients and controls was 10.4 years. P100 latency and amplitudes of migraine patients were significantly higher than children with tension-type headache and control subjects. Children with tension-type headache also had higher P100 latency and amplitude values than control subjects but there was no statistical difference. BAEP responses were similar between all groups.

Conclusion: Measurement of VEP latency and amplitude is a valuable and reliable test for the diagnosis of migraine and can be used safely in childhood.