[Headaches in the population of school children in Poznań].

A total of 2353 children and youths, 6-19 years old attending three primary and one secondary school situated in Poznań were examined. It was found that the overall prevalence of all types of headache (primary and secondary) in the general childhood population was 75%--1759 cases during the last 12 months. The medical examination of these school-children comprised full systematic physical and detailed neurological examination with visual acuity. Some laryngological examinations and laboratory tests also were made. The diagnosis of primary headaches was made according to the operational diagnostic criteria of the IHS classification. We was found 675 (28.69%) cases of tension type headache, 198 (8.42%) migraine, and only one case of cluster headache (0.04%). The prevalence of headache increased progressively with increasing age. Obtained data confirm an important part of positive family history and small influence of birth weight and living conditions. The other findings indicate that sleeping problems, dizziness, motion sickness, abdominalgia, belong to important risk factors for headache in children. At the end, it was made a comparison between "migrenous" and tension headache group. The conclusion is that headache in children and youth is serious social and medical problem.