Abstract
We read with great interest the remarkable article by Amorim et al. (1) about postdural puncture headache (PDPH) in adults in the July 2012 issue of Cephalalgia. We wish to add the following considerations to this excellent manuscript.
PDPH is gaining importance in paediatric patients because of the increasing use of spinal anaesthesia and lumbar puncture. It was previously thought not to be a problem in children under 13 years of age, with speculation that this was a result of the lower cerebrospinal fluid pressure in children protecting them from excessive cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or possibly related to hormonal changes occurring at puberty (2). However, now we know that PDPH is the most common complication related to lumbar puncture in paediatric patients, as common in children as it is in adults (2,3). Diagnosis and treatment of PDPH in children is similar to adults (4).
In conclusion, clinicians should keep in mind that PDPH may also develop in children as frequently as adults with similar properties. Hence, PDPH in children may be added to the list of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, second edition (ICHD-II).