The relationship between psychiatric symptoms and headache in childhood

This is a cross-sectional case-control study in which children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 16 who applied to the child and adolescent mental health outpatient clinic were compared with their peers in their social environment, matched for age and gender, in terms of headache and psychiatric symptoms.102 children and adolescents (31 (30.4%) girls) aged 8-16 years, who applied to the outpatient clinic for the first time, had not sought medical help with headache complaints, and had not used psychotropicdrugs for the last 3 months, were included in the study group.In the control group, 100 children and adolescents (37 (46.5%) girls)of similar age and genderin the immediate environment of the children and adolescents included in the study group with no previous psychiatric or headache complaints were included.Children and adolescents filled in Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap & Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) Questionnaire, Children's Depression Scale (CDS), Children's State and Anxiety Inventory (CLE-MLS), Children's Sleep Quality Scale, and Sleep Variables Questionnaire (CDU-UD) scales. Parents were asked to fill out a sociodemographic information form, the Revised Conners Parent Rating Scale Short Turkish Form (R-CPRS-S), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Children's Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (CSDQ).In the study group, both single parent and extended family structure were more common, mothers and fathers had more chronic diseases, fathers had more headaches and more negative life events were reported.Also in the study group, more headaches in the past year, which is one of the screening questions in the HARDSHIP questionnaire, and more negativity in questions about the quality of life was reported.All scores of CDI, SAIC, TAIC, CPTR-RS, SDQ, SDSC, andSQS-SVQ were significantly higher in the study group.In the study group higher CDI, SAIC, and TAIC scores were found in those who had headache in the last yearfrom those who had not.Besides there were no significant differences between them in terms of CPTR-RS, SDQ, SDSC, and SQS-SVQ scores.A positive significant correlation was found between the number of days with headaches in the lastweek and CDI, SAIC, TAIC, Hyperactivity, Emotional problems, Peer problems, Total score for SDQ, problems in initiating and maintaining sleep, breathing problems during sleep, excessive sleepiness problems of SDSC, and SQS SVQ-sleep quality scores in the study group. This correlation was not found between the number of days with headaches in the last 4 weeks and CPTR-RS scores. As a result, children and adolescents with psychiatric complaints and headaches had higher rates of depression, state, and trait anxiety symptoms.In children and adolescents with psychiatric complaints, when the number of days with headaches increased in the last week, depression and anxiety symptoms with sleep problems also increased.While headache was associated with internalizing symptoms in children and adolescents with psychiatric complaints, it was not associated with externalizing symptoms.Studies on relationship between diagnosis of headache and psychiatric disorders will provide more consistent and generalizable results.