Idiopathic benign paroxysmal vertigo in children, a migraine precursor

Abstract

Vertigo and dizziness are common conditions in the adult population that can be rarely seen during childhood; only a few articles describing vertigo in children can be found in literature. Although many causes of vertigo in adulthood occur also in childhood, their frequency may be different. A typical example is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, the most common peripheral vestibular disorder in adults, which occurs quite uncommonly in children. Furthermore, many common diseases causing vertigo in children may be unique for this population, such as benign paroxysmal vertigo (BPV) of childhood. At present, BPV is defined as a migraine's equivalent, a precursor of migraine or a periodic syndrome of childhood. The International Headache Society also studied this form of vertigo and included the Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo in section 1.3.3. of the International Classification of Headaches (ICHD-2). The present review analyzes recent patho-physiological and clinical evidences regarding idiopathic BPV in children.