Are medications used to treat adolescent headache similar to medicines used to treat adult headache?
Yes and no. There are not as many medications used to treat adolescents as adults. In simple terms, some of these medications are “too strong” for children. Others have not been adequately tested. Several of the triptans have been tested in adolescents and young people and found to be safe and effective. However, there have been relatively few medication-oriented studies published concerning adolescents and the treatment of headache. Experience has shown that several medications can be quite safe, including preventive agents such as beta blockers, cyproheptadine, and several others, as well as medicines for acute treatment including the triptans, Midrin, ergots, and others. Antihistamines may also be used for acute pain. Aspirin should not be used in children under the age of 15 years old since a potentially fatal condition called Reyes syndrome can occur. As children become adolescents there are more options available, but the choice of medications often depends on the size and weight
