Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Subject: Re: Pediatric Brain Tumor and Migraines
Forum: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum
Topic Area:
Posted by CCF Neuro MD on January 20, 1998 at 22:26:50:
In Reply to: Pediatric Brain Tumor and Migraines posted by Phil G. on January 19, 1998 at 21:36:50:

: Hi;
My daughter was diagnosed several years ago with an anaplastic
ependymoma (4th ventricle). She was treated with RT and
chemo (1990) and has a VP shunt. Last week she was debilitated with:
-right side paralysis (arm and leg)
-loss of cognitive thinking
-severe headache and pain over the right eye

We had received immediate treatment via her neurologist and a
followup MRI that day... all negative... shunt apparently working. My
question is can severe migraines cause the above symptoms in
an 11 year old?

Thanks in advance for anything you can shed on this!

=
Migranes can cause a range of symptoms which at the severe end of the spectrum
cause symptoms which mimic stroke, these are usually one sided and
present either as weakness or numbness.
The type of migrane which is associated with paralysis is called hemiplegic
migrane and it is frequently described in children and adoloscents.
To be safely attributed to the migrane the symptoms should be associated with
a typical one sided headache and should be transient.
Usually the headache is on the opposite side to the symptoms of weakness or
numbness but this is not always the case.
No changes should appear on am MRI scan, given your daughters history
this was a prudent test to perform.
Overall, provided the situation meets the criteria I have outlined and
especially given the normal MRI, I feel that this episode could be
reasonably attributed to a severe migrane attack
Phil

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