Making an Appointment with the Pediatric Headache Program

The Pediatric Headache Program offers evaluation and treatment for children with chronic migraines and persistent headaches who have not responded to standard treatments with their community neurologist.

For appointment and authorization questions, please call 215-590-1719 during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Once we have reviewed any outside records, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment. We match patients to the most appropriate provider in general neurology or the multidisciplinary headache program based on headache characteristics and availability.

Find more information to help you prepare for your child’s appointment.

If your child has been seen by other providers to treat headaches, please also share the following information:

• A completed intake form (this is a fillable PDF; it can be downloaded to your computer, completed, saved and emailed to us)
• Notes from referring physician and anyone who has treated your child for the headache
• Discharge summary from hospitalizations for headache
• Reports of lab testing and imaging done for the headache. If an MRI or CT was done, please bring the disc with you on the day of the visit.

All documents can be sent to us by mail, fax or email:

Pediatric Headache Program
c/o Division of Neurology
Attention: Second Opinions
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
3401 Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Fax: 215-590-1771, Attention: Second Opinion — please limit to 25 pages.

Email: neurosecondopinion@email.chop.edu

These records will be reviewed and you will receive a return phone call in one to two weeks to schedule an appointment.

Medical emergency

If your child is under the care of CHOP’s Pediatric Headache Program and develops a true medical emergency, please go to the Emergency Department.

Examples of headache emergencies include:

• Weakness on one side of the body
• Seizures
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness (passing out)
• Head trauma (injury)
• Sudden onset, unusually severe pain

General questions about your child’s care

Your child’s health is important to us. MyCHOP is a website where you can view your child’s records, test results, medicines, and easily send an email (non-emergency) to the team and communicate with our office. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Send a message through MyCHOP or call us at 215-590-1719 if:

• Your child’s headache is preventing normal activity and the acute medicine (taken when headaches start) is not working (prompts 3-3-3-4)
• Your child is experiencing a side effect from a medication (prompts 3-3-3-4)
• You would like your child’s test results (prompts 3-3-3-4)
• You need a refill of your child’s medicine (prompts 3-2). Please call at least 3 days before your child’s medicine will run out.
• You need a letter or school form. Please allow up to 2 weeks for a letter or form to be returned to you.
• The pharmacist tells you that you need a “prior authorization” for a medication.  This is a form your insurance company may require in order to approve the medicine for your child. Call us at 215-590-1719 (prompts 3-3-3-4). It may take a few days to get approval, or we may have to switch your child’s medication.

To enroll, talk to the front desk staff at your child’s next visit. They will give you an access code, then visit MyCHOP to finish enrolling. If your child sees more than one doctor, all of your child’s records will be available on this website.

You may also call our office with any questions or concerns. Our staff will return your call as quickly as possible (within 1-2 days, except weekends and holidays). 

Please limit non-emergent calls/messages to the office to once a day. If you have many questions/concerns that come up, it would be helpful to call the office and schedule a visit for your child. This will make sure we have the time to go through all of your concerns and questions.

For example, we will likely recommend a follow-up visit if:

• You would like to discuss concerns about school
• You are wondering if additional testing may be needed for your child.
• Your child’s preventive medicine is not working even though your child has taken it as prescribed