Statewide referral criteria have been created for this condition and will be in use from 1st December 2026. For more information please see the Department of Health: Headache in children.

Introduction

This guideline relates to headaches in paediatric patients. For more information on assessment and management, please see: Clinical Practice Guidelines:Headache

When to refer

• Recurrent hemiplegic migraine
• A child currently in out of home care (OOHC), or at risk of entering or leaving OOHC, where they have previously been on a waiting list for this problem and were removed without receiving a service
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension referred by a Paediatrician where there is diagnostic uncertainty that headache is due to IIH, failure of response to treatment and no visual impairment on perimetry (no indication for urgent neurosurgical shunting)
• Migraine that has failed two (2) preventative medications
• Missing significant amounts of school due to headaches
• Suspicion of medication overuse

Wait time for appointments

Specialist clinic wait times

Services available closer to home

Alternative paediatric services available in Victoria:

• Monash Children’s Hospital

Pre-referral work up/management

• Headache diary

Referral criteria/required information

• Detailed history of headache
• Observations including BP (right arm, with appropriately sized cuff)
• Current medication history, efficacy (including over-the-counter preparations)
• Neurological examination including fundoscopy
• Confirmation of OOHC (where appropriate)

How to refer

Specialist Clinics Referral

Please complete the above and submit via:

Facsimile (03) 9345 5034 or

Email screferrals@rch.org.au

Clinical queries call the Neurology department (03) 9345 5661  

Resources and links

• Clinical Practice Guidelines:Headache
• Kids Health Info:Headaches
  
• The Australian and New Zealand Headache Society
• Migraine & Headache Australia

Acknowledgements

The development of this guideline was coordinated by the Department of Neurology. Guideline reviewed in July 2026.