DOES A HISTORY OF MATERNAL MIGRAINE OR DEPRESSION PREDISPOSE CHILDREN TO HEADACHE AND STOMACH-ACHE

The incidence of the life time history of both maternal migraine and depression were assessed in children with headache, migraine, recurrent abdominal pain and abdominal migraine. An epidemiological survey of 1,104 children registered with a general practice was undertaken. The incidence of maternal migraine and depression agreed with previous estimates. Children with migraine had a greater proportion of mothers with a history of migraine than those who experienced headache alone compared with controls. The survey showed that mothers with depression predisposed their children to headache but not specifically migraine. A history of maternal depression and migraine was significantly more common and proportionately higher in children with abdominal migraine and recurrent abdominal pain.