Why Choose Our Pediatric Headache Program?
For many patients, headache is effectively managed by a primary care or community-based specialty provider; however, some young people experience persistent, hard-to-manage head pain. Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Headache Program is here to support young people, their families, and their primary health team by offering expert and empathetic care to restore well-being.
The Pediatric Headache Program specializes in the care of young people with chronic head and neck pain that has lasted for 3 months or longer. Our patient and family-centered approach has been designed to meet the unique needs of “invisible” pain in children and adolescents. We recognize the profound impact such pain has not only on the young patient but also on their family, often leading to exhaustion and a sense of helplessness. Our commitment is to provide comprehensive support to decrease burdens and improve functioning. We help patients achieve relief and restore quality to daily activities and routines that may have become restricted by disability.
Our Patients
The Pediatric Headache Program cares for children, adolescents and young adults experiencing:
- New daily persistent headache
- Chronic daily headache
- Chronic head pain unresponsive to multiple treatments
- Headaches arising in the context of complex medical issues including tumors, hydrocephalus, dysautonomia, and immune diseases
- Headache with co-occurring mental and behavioral health needs
We diagnose and treat primary headache disorders such as migraine, tension headache, as well as less common conditions such as cluster headache.
We also care for patients with headaches due to another medical condition, such as chronic post-traumatic headache and medication overuse headache.
Our Services
The Pediatric Headache Program delivers both diagnostic care and treatment. In other words, we try to figure out what's causing the headaches and to help make them better.
- Medication Management: We offer expertise in selecting and adjusting pharmaceutical treatments to optimize pain relief while minimizing side effects.
- Cognitive Behavioral Pain Management: Our approach also emphasizes “thinking and doing” strategies to help patients develop effective pain coping skills, enhancing resilience and ability to manage pain in daily life.
- Device-based Management: We utilize advanced neuromodulation devices to prevent and relieve pain and decrease reliance on medications.
- Procedural Pain Interventions: A variety of procedures can prevent and relieve head pain. Among the procedures we perform are Botulinum Toxin (BOTOX) injections, trigger point injections, occipital and sphenopalatine nerve blocks, and Lidocaine infusions.
- Rehabilitation and Integrative Therapies: Our comprehensive care incorporates physical and occupational therapy to improve function and quality of life.
- Lifestyle Medicine Principles: Our whole-person-care addresses nutrition and hydration, physical activity, restorative sleep, and social functioning. We empower our patients and families to make sustainable changes that contribute to well-being and pain management.