A Clinical Pathway for Managing Headache in Children

This week, at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners,

Elizabeth K Rende DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, PMHS-BC, FAANP of Duke Pediatric Neurology took some time with Contemporary Clinic to discuss using evidence to develop a clinical pathway for treating headaches in children.

Elizabeth K Rende DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, PMHS-BC, FAANP:

I think the very most important facet is to have the evidence that’s available, because that guides your management of a child’s headaches. So, when developing this clinical pathway, you want to follow that evidence. What assessment do you need? How do you know when you need to get additional testing and/or imaging? And then deciding exactly how you’re going to treat, both episodically, meaning that the headache is happening ‘x’ number of days per month, or if they need a preventive medicine, which is used in headaches that are occurring 4 or more times a month. So, you have to make those decisions and that clinical pathway will also incorporate that in its formation.