FACTORS OF EARLY-LIFE AS PREDICTORS OF HEADACHE IN CHILDREN AT SCHOOLENTRY

To study the main predictors of childhood preschool headache. 1443 fam ilies expecting their first child were followed from the onset of preg nancy to the child's sixth year of life. Subject selection was based o n stratified randomized cluster sampling. Of the children, 14.91 (144) suffered from headache disturbing daily activities at the age of 6 ye ars. The mother's assessment of the infant's poor health (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8) and feeding problems (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.2) at the age of 9 months predicted later occurrence of headache. At 3 years. d epression and sleeping difficulties (according to Achenbach's psycholo gical test) and recurrent difficulties in falling asleep (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.5 to 7.2) were strong predictors. Headache in other family member s (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.0 to 5.9). especially in the mother (OR 1.7, 95% C I 1.2 to 2.4), predicted preschool headache in the child. At the age o f 5 years, travel sickness (OR 2.8, 95%:, CI 1.5 to 5.1), nocturnal en uresis (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.0), and the presence of longterm disea se (OR 1.8. 95% CI 1.1 to 3.0) were strong predictors of later headach e. At the same age, concentration difficulties (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 4.2), behavioral problems (OR 2.7. 95% CI 1.1 to 6.4), unusual tiredne ss (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.0 to 13.5), and, conversely, high sociability (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.2) predicted headache. The three last-mentioned psychological factors seemed to be associated with concentration diffi culties at the age of 5, which was found to be the strongest predictor . The parents of child headache sufferers often became aware of the ch ild's problems long before the emergence of headache.