Headstrong: A CD-ROM Program for Helping Children Manage Headaches

Technology ID: 02KUMC295 

Description of Technology:
The “Headstrong Program” was designed to capitalize on the psychological strategies known to be effective for headache management while at the same time presenting these strategies in a cost-effective and developmentally appropriate format.  Headstrong is a standalone CD-ROM program targeted at children ages 7-12 (the most common age range for the onset of disabling recurrent headaches).  Headstrong incorporates education about recurrent headache in a language children can understand and teaches children research-supported strategies for reducing headache activity.  The education component of the Headstrong program presents developmentally appropriate information on the prevalence, diagnosis, assessment, cause, and experience of recurrent pediatric headache (migraine and tension-type headache) through visual displays, narration, and interactive menus. 

The treatment component of the program contains lessons on how to use various research-supported psychological treatments to self-manage recurrent headaches.   A workbook accompanies the CD-ROM and contains all the supplementary material required for the self-management intervention (home practice exercises, headache diaries, questionnaires, etc.).  Parents also receive a manual containing information about the program, their role in the intervention, and technical assistance information.  The program is designed such that the child him or herself can learn headache management strategies in an enjoyable way without the need for several clinic visits.

Patent: N/A

Specific Market: Education and treatment for children with headaches

Market Size:   Unknown

State of the Art: N/A

Benefits: This technology will benefit children by teaching them headache coping skills that can reduce the intensity, duration, and/or frequency of headaches and possibly reduce the need for other forms of treatment.  This program is intended to supplement, not replace, ongoing medical management of headaches by physicians.

Technical Obstacles: None

Publications:   N/A

Confidential Disclosure Agreement:  KUMC is willing to enter into a CDA for the purpose of negotiating a License Agreement.  If you are interested in learning details of this invention, please contact: Joe Jilka, Ph.D. (jjilka@kumc.edu: ph 913 588 5713 ).