Sensory Processing Difficulties Worsen Quality of Life in Children With Migraine

Sensory processing difficulties are seen among children with migraine, according to a recently published study, which said that their quality of life is predicted by both headache-related disability and sensory processing difficulties.

Headaches are common among children, with about 80% reporting them, although the prevalence of migraine is only about 8%. Accompanying sensory symptoms are common before, during, and after migraine attacks. These sensory symptoms may include both hyper- or hypo-sensitivity to sensations, and may be a part of a wider syndrome called sensory processing disorder or difficulties (SPD).

In this study, 134 children between the ages of 8 and 12 participated. Fifty-four children (22 boys and 32 girls) with episodic migraine were prospectively recruited from pediatric neurological clinics between 2014 to 2017. The control group included 80 healthy children. Both groups completed a health and demographic questionnaire, headache assessment including Ped-MIDAS, Short Sensory Profile, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for children, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory.

The study sought to compare sensory processing abilities between children with migraine and healthy controls, compare the quality of life between the 2 groups, examine the correlations between sensory processing, migraine characteristics and severity and quality of life among children with migraine, and examine the contribution of headache-related disability and sensory processing to the prediction of quality of life among children with migraine.

Children with migraine had significantly worse sensory processing difficulties in regard to taste/smell sensitivity as well as a lower health-related QoL (HRQOL)in regard to physical issues. Headache-related disability and sensory processing difficulties predicted quality of life.

Lower emotional HRQOL significantly correlated with greater tactile sensitivity and visual/auditory sensitivity. Lower emotional and school HRQOL significantly correlated with worse sensory processing patterns, and lower psychosocial HRQOL significantly correlated with greater sensitivity to taste/smell, movement, auditory filtering, and low energy.

The authors emphasized screening for SPD among children with migraine and said to consider the impact on daily life when recommending intervention programs.

In addition, intervention programs should consider the commonality of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and other forms of psychopathology in children, and adolescence with migraine with respect to SPD and to quality of life.

Reference

Genizi J, Halevy A, Schertz M, et al. Sensory processing difficulties correlate with disease severity and quality of life among children with migraine [published online May 24, 2019]. Front Neurol doi: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00448.