Botox may treat migraines in children, teens

Here's some good news for parents! Treating your child or teenager with Botox jabs may be an effective and safe treatment to relieve their migraine headaches, suggests a recent study.

According to researchers, Botox is a form of a toxin that temporarily freezes the muscles. It helps to prevent migraines by blocking muscle spasms.

In a study spanning five years, Irvine from the University of California, found that Botox helped reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines in children.

Previously in 2010, Botox was approved for the preventative treatment of migraines in adults.

Botox has long been in the markets for clinical use in cosmetic procedures, but in recent years it has become increasingly popular for preventatively treating chronic migraines for those that experience 15 or more attacks each month.

The team analysed nine children and adolescents aged between eight and 17 and found that over the course of five years Botox had no major side effects.

The participants, who received treatments every 12 weeks, saw significant decreases in the frequency and severity of their headaches.

Initially, the children and teenagers reported their pain levels during migraines as being between four and eight, on average.

After Botox injections, these levels fell to a rant of 1.75 to five.

Originally, they had experienced migraines anywhere from eight to nearly 30 days, but after Botox, the patients got between two and 10 monthly migraines.

Lead author Assistant Clinical Professor Dr Shalini Shah said, "When children and teens have migraine pain, it can severely affect their lives and ability to function."

"They miss school, their grades suffer and they are left behind, often unable to reach their full potential. Clearly there is a need for an alternative treatment for those who haven't found relief."

The research was presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists' Anesthesiology 2017 annual meeting in Boston.

-ANI