Abstract

Chronic headache in children and adolescents is a complex medical condition that results in consequences over a wide area of the child’s functioning and affects the quality of life of the whole family. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to the understanding and treatment of chronic headache with reliance on an understanding of paediatric psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy. A review of non-pharmacological treatments that have been shown to be effective in chronic headache is presented in the article. Psychological approaches, which health personnel can use with a patient with chronic headache in everyday practice, are described.

Key words: chronic headache, non-pharmacological treatment, psychological approaches.