A dietary management of severe childhood migraine

Abstract

We describe in detail a dietary treatment which has been shown to be effective in most children with severe migraine. Potential adverse nutritional and allergic effects are outlined; because of the diet should be undertaken only in those ill enough to justify it. In the first stage very few foods are given, and if the child responds to this oligoantigenic diet, foods are reintroduced one by one at weekly intervals. In this way foods causing symptoms are identified and eliminated. Research is urgently needed to establish simpler empirical diets and diagnostic tests.