Familial hemiplegic migraine in a child with seizure disorder: clinical history is the key to diagnosis

Headache is a common presenting complaint in the paediatric population, with often migraine being a clinical diagnosis. Hemiplegic migraine is characterised by aura, sudden onset weakness of one side of the body which usually recovers without any residual neurological deficit. We report a child with a history of seizure disorder, well controlled and off medication for 3 years, who presented with a headache, aura and transient hemiplegia. Similar history in the patient's mother suggests the diagnosis of familial hemiplegic migraine. We would like to emphasise the importance of detailed history as an important aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders in children.