A Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Neurological and Psychoeducational Group Appointment Model for Pediatric Headaches

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary group appointment model for pediatric headaches. Eighty-one patients ages 10 to 18 were randomly assigned to a Traditional Clinic Model (TCM) or a Headache Clinic (HCM) Model for the initial neurological appointment. In addition to a neurological evaluation, the HCM included a group educational session describing stressors contributing to pain, pharmaceutical and behavioral treatments, and guided relaxation skills practice. HCM patients demonstrated greater gains in headache knowledge and required slightly less physician face-to-face time than TCM patients. Both groups experienced a sustained decline of about 40% in headache-related disability and high treatment satisfaction.