A Review of Studies Evaluating Biofeedback and Relaxation Training in the Management of Pediatric Headache

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Headache is one of the most common types of recurrent pain among children. Response to pharmacological treatment has been inconsistent, and there is caution about prolonged pharmacotherapy for headache in children. Behavioral therapies for the management of chronic headache have emerged as a significant option over the last decade. Initial studies summarized in two previous reviews of behavioral therapy for pediatric headache were favorable, but few controlled studies had been done. In the last five years, more studies, the majority with controlled comparisons, have been published. The present review summarizes and interprets the evidence from these studies. Behavioral treatment appears to be a potent alternative for the management of chronic headache in children.